Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
by Luxio Nyx
Summary: Sequel to Look, Don't Touch. Just as Bella is settling in to her new life with the Cullens, new creatures arrive in Forks, creatures that aren't quite vampires, and a new enemy makes itself known in La Push. But is the real enemy found clsoe to the heart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

JPOV

Have you ever gone to see one of those sappy chick-flicks even though you really didn't want to? Perhaps you went to see it in an effort to impress the girl you wanted as your girlfriend at the time with your "sensitivity"; perhaps you had lost a bet with your sister and had been forced to drive her to the theater, only to find yourself dragged kicking and screaming into the theater by a crowd of her boy-crazy friends who had obviously been summoned via texting to help your sister torture you; or perhaps you were one of those few members of the male sex who weren't ashamed of admitting that you liked sitting in a theater full of sniffling girls crying into a tissue as some over-rated romance plays out on the big screen. Regardless of how you ended up in the torture-chamber-formerly-known-as-a-movie-theater, the odds are that you were soon sick of the mushy crooning of the lovers as they said good-bye for the tenth time and wanted nothing more than to run out of there as fast as your legs could carry you and head for the nearest football game.

While I do feel some pity for you poor suckers, I also envy you. You think that watching one of those sappy chick-flicks is bad? Imagine living in one of them, complete with front-row access to all of the wonderfully nauseating thoughts going through the minds of the lovers as they stumble their way through whatever screwed up struggle fate decides to send their way. Feeling sick yet? Welcome to my world.

Sam had summoned us to the meeting to discuss our new alliance with the Cullens. At least, that's what he had said when he first called us into the woods at five in the morning on a Saturday. Of course, the longer sat with the other members of my pack listening to their thoughts, the more I came to realize that this meeting had more to do with our love lives than our allies.

Jared and Quin stood off to the side with Sam, their thoughts almost entirely focused on Jared and Quin's new imprints and Sam's advice on how to handle their new relationships based on his experiences with Emily. Paul, who had become oddly interested in the business of imprinting ever since news of my sister Rachel's impending visit had reached him, was sitting a few feet away trying to pretend that he wasn't listening. Leah and Embry, the only two members of the pack who actually wished for imprints, were being slightly more obvious about eavesdropping, their ears twitching with interest as Sam imparted yet another piece of advice onto his listeners. Occasionally, Leah would wince mentally as Sam's thoughts drifted to one of the many moments he had shared with Emily, her mind going over memories of her relationship with Sam in a past that was still too recent for comfort.

Beside me, Seth shifted uncomfortably, barely holding back a whine as the seemingly-endless romance fest continued. His dark eyes flickered towards me and his sand-colored tail twitched slightly, his thoughts going to the Cullen house and its heavenly array of video games. I sighed with longing and glanced over at the rest of the pack. Maybe if Sam ever decided to get to the point of this freaking meeting I could run by the Cullen's house and see if Emmett wanted to get his ass kicked again.

_Focus, Jacob_, Sam told me sternly.

I rolled my eyes at him.

_Hey, you weren't exactly staying on topic lover-boy_, I shot back.

Embry and Seth chuckled, only to stop abruptly when Sam glared at them.

_We are here to discuss our alliance with the Cullens_, Sam informed us.

_Really, you mean we're not here to talk about our love lives or lack thereof?_ I muttered.

Leah growled at me.

_Will you shut up and let Sam talk?_ she snapped. _I don't know about you, but I actually want to be in bed right now._

_You mean I'm the only one who enjoys getting up at 5 a.m. on a Saturday?_ I gasped with fake surprise.

_Jake_, Embry sighed, trying without success to hide his amusement. _Can you please just let Sam talk?_

_Thanks for being on my side,_ I grumbled.

_Are you done?_ Sam demanded.

I nodded for him to continue.

_Right,_ he sighed. _As I was saying, since we have grown so close lately to Bella and the rest of the Cullens, and since it's pretty obvious that they aren't as dangerous as our ancestors believed them to be-._

_Whoa, hold on,_ Paul interrupted. _You're not suggesting that we get rid of the treaty and let them come onto our lands, are you?_

Sam shook his head vehemently.

_No,_ he assured us. _Regardless of whether the Cullen's are safe or not, they are still vampires and could lose control at any moment. I was actually thinking of creating an official alliance with the Cullens._

_How would we do that?_ Jared asked cautiously.

_Well, obviously we would have to discuss the terms with the Cullens first,_ Sam admitted.

Seth's ears perked up, his thoughts going back to the video games and flat screen that usually drew most of our attention when we visited the house.

_We will be discussing matters of business, Seth_, Sam reminded him. Seth pouted.

_So, if you don't even know what you're doing yet, why did you call us here?_ Leah asked grumpily.

_I wanted to make sure that you all approved of the alliance before I made arrangements with the Cullens_, Sam explained. _Now, are there any objections to the alliance?_

I glanced at Paul, my eyebrows raised (at least, they were supposed to be, but it was hard to tell when you were a wolf). Paul noticed and growled at me, his grey tail twitching in annoyance.

_Why are you looking at me?_ he demanded.

_Because you're an ass and the most likely to object,_ I answered honestly.

Paul snarled at me, his hackles raised.

_For your information, I completely approve of the alliance, so long as we still get to rip the bloodsuckers to shreds if they slip up._

_Enough,_ Sam interrupted. _Does anyone object?_ When no one spoke up, he added _Jake, Seth, Jared; I need you three to come with me to meet the Cullens._

_Wait, why do they get to go?_ Leah demanded.

_Because Jake and Seth are the most familiar with the Cullens, and Jared is the most experienced in diplomacy. Besides, didn't you want to go to bed?_

Leah grumbled something about not being tired now that this stupid meeting had waked her up and backed off. Sam chuckled despite himself before turning to the rest of us, his tone abruptly business-like.

_Paul, Leah, I want you two to run a quick patrol around the perimeter since you aren't tired anymore,_ he ordered, a hint of amusement still present in his voice. _Embry, Quin, get some sleep. I expect you two to take over for Paul and Leah in two hours._

They nodded and headed off towards La Push, leaving me alone with Seth, Jared, and my fearless alpha.

_Nice choice of words, Jake_, Sam chuckled. _Now come on, I don't want to be at the Cullens all day._

_Lead the way, of fearless leader,_ I muttered, earning myself another chuckle from Sam and a snort from Seth and Jared.

Despite my words, I waited a few moments before following my alpha and fellow pack members into the woods towards the Cullen house, my eyes travelling up towards the small section of grey sky that could be seen through the thick canopy above, a strange feeling of anticipation building inside of me. Something was changing in the air, something that didn't have anything to do with the Cullens.

For the first time in years, I wondered if I should be afraid.

**Disclaimer: I do not (unfortunately) own Twilight or any of its amazing characters, all of the credit belongs to the amazing Stephanie Meyer. Thanks to all of the people who read my other stories, particularly the prequel to this, Look, Don't Touch, and I hope you enjoy this one as well!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

AlecPOV

It was cold here.

When I was first turned, I used to go to the prisons beneath the Volturi headquarters, one of the few places in the building where I could see the sky, and wish that I could feel the heat of the sun's rays on my skin or the chill of the winter air instead of the vague warmth or numbness that I felt as a vampire. Jane used to mock me for what she called my 'human weakness', but I couldn't help but miss the cold, the warmth. Now, as I stood in the middle of a frozen forest in eastern Siberia clad only in the black clothes and cloak that I had worn in Volterra, I wondered if I had, in fact, been foolish to miss the cold.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at the girl who had brought me here, my unease increasing when I saw the smug look on my sister's face. Despite Jane's assurances that she knew what she was doing, sometimes I really had to wonder if she was in her right mind.

"Jane," I whispered. "Are you sure we're in the right place?"

"Stop worrying, Alec," she snapped. "You're lack of faith in me is almost irritating. Trust me; this is where we have to be."

"Is it really wise to go against Didyme and Marcus?" I asked for perhaps the tenth time. "You remember what she told Aro when-."

"Of course I remember," she grumbled. "That was the day you forced me to abandon my master and join his usurping sister."

"For your own safety," I reminded her. "It would have been unwise to go against Didyme at that time."

"And now it would be unwise for us to go against Aro now that he has new allies that are more powerful than the Volturi," Jane retorted.

"Is their location a symbol of how powerful they are?" I growled. "Nothing can stay here for long, even a vampire."

"Which is exactly why we chose this place for our headquarters," Aro's familiar voice called from within the trees.

Jane whirled around in the direction his voice, her face transfigured with joy as she beheld her former master.

"Aro," she breathed.

Aro smiled at her and held out his arms. My sister ran into them unhesitatingly, her thin arms winding themselves around his neck.

"Dear Jane," he sighed. "How I have missed your presence." He glanced over her shoulder at me, his clouded red eyes wary. "It seems your brother does not share our joy," he remarked.

I stiffened and held my ground, resisting the urge to back away from the older vampire's displeasure.

"I merely wish to know who I am joining before I devote myself entirely to their cause," I said truthfully.

Aro chuckled and released himself from Jane's embrace, although he continued to keep his arm wound around her small shoulders. The pleased expression on Jane's face made me uncomfortable, as if I was witnessing something that was more intimate than it seemed on the surface.

"Where is your wife?" I asked impulsively.

Jane glowered at me, although Aro seemed mildly amused.

"Do you mean Sulpicia?" he wondered. "She is back at the headquarters, where she can be comfortable. As you have already observed, this is not the most… ideal place for most creatures."

"And yet, it is a wonderful place for those of our kind," a rough voice growled from behind me, causing me to jump. The voice chuckled.

I whirled around, my gift already rising around me like a shield of mist. The voice chuckled again.

"Your gifts are useless, vampire," he- at least, I assumed it was a he- told me. "My kind is not affected by parlor tricks such as yours."

I could only stare. I had seen many creatures like those the humans called paranormal, yet in all of my years of existence I had never seen one who looked as demonic as the man who now stood before me. A thick layer of rough fur-like black hair covered his naked flesh, and his narrow black eyes and wide mouth seemed to be screwed into a permanent scowl. Though I assumed that the next full moon was a week away, the man's nails were already curved into miniature claws, and the teeth that peeked through his thin lips were pointed and sharp as a wolf's. As I took in his appearance, I realized that I had never seen anything less human.

The werewolf sneered at me.

"Are you afraid, vampire?" he hissed.

I glanced back at Aro and Jane, who seemed relatively unfazed by the werewolf's appearance. Aro smiled sweetly at me.

"Now then, Alec, I assume that you are convinced of the superiority of our cause?" he asked.

I nodded slowly, my throat still too tight to speak. Aro's smile widened.

"And yet, how to be sure that you are really loyal?" he mused. "After all, you were so reluctant to join… that does not seem to be a promising start for you."

"Master," Jane whined. "Please, be merciful. My brother would be happy to prove his undying loyalty to you."

I nodded mechanically, although my unease grew at her words. What had my sister gotten me into?

Aro frowned thoughtfully, his blood red eyes studying me.

"Perhaps he could be of use," he murmured. "However, you know that if you fail me, the consequences will be severe, Alec."

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. Aro smiled, his fangs gleaming in the dim moonlight that filtered through the canopy above.

"What would you say to paying our Cullen friends a little visit?" he asked.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters because (unfortunately) I do not own Twilight. All of the credit belongs to the amazing Stephanie Meyer. Also, I apologize for writing Quil's name as Quin… I suppose that's what you get for writing when you're sleep-deprived. Anyways, I'll be sure not to make that mistake again. Thanks to all those who read and/or reviewed this story!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

LeahPOV

I paused at the edge of the Cullen's driveway, my skin prickling with unease. In the back of my mind, I could still hear Paul swearing as I ran away from him before Quil and Embry could arrive to take over for us, even though I had changed out of my wolf form over an hour ago. Of course, if I had known how long it would take to walk on foot to the Cullen's house, I might have put up with his yelling for a little longer. Then again, his complaints could have gotten Sam's unwanted attention; and I couldn't risk being ordered away. For once, I actually wanted to go to the house of a vampire.

Unlike my idiot brother, I had been wary of Bella when she first appeared in Forks, and my unease only increased when she began to be involved with the Cullens. True, it had become easier to be around the Cullens after they saved my life, and I was happy for Bella when she finally got to be with Edward, but…

_But that doesn't mean that I want to have a sleepover in the vampire house_, I thought wryly. At least, I hadn't until today.

Not surprisingly, Bella and her mind-reading boyfriend Edward were waiting for me when I finally reached the Cullens' front porch. I somehow managed to smile at them, my eyes already searching for Sam and the others. It wouldn't be long before Sam realized that I had disobeyed his orders, if he didn't know already.

"He knows," Edward informed me, seeing the worry in my thoughts. "He's not happy-."

"That's an understatement," Sam's voice called from somewhere inside the house.

"-but there's really nothing he can do now that you're here so you might as well come in," Edward's sister Alice added, her gold eyes glittering mischievously as she peaked over her brother's shoulder to grin at me. "Come on in, Esme made cake."

I was skeptical about a vampire's ability to cook without the ability to eat but followed the pixie vampire inside anyways. It probably wouldn't do me any good to try and resist.

"No," Edward chuckled. "It really wouldn't. Alice can be very stubborn when she wants something."

"Not to be rude but can you try and keep out of my head?" I muttered. "I get enough mind reading when I'm a wolf, I don't need it when I'm human."

Edward chuckled, only to stop when Bella elbowed him in the side.

"Sorry," she said in a loud whisper. "He's not very good with self-control in that area."

"Perhaps if you would let me see into your mind, I would be more willing to exercise control," Edward replied slyly.

Bella rolled her eyes and gave me a martyred look.

"Do you see what I have to put up with?" she sighed.

I managed to laugh, although I couldn't hold back the twinge of envy that I felt at her words. While it was true that Edward could be annoying at times, at least Bella had someone. Unlike me.

Edward gave me a sympathetic look. Behind him, I could see Alice's husband Jasper watching me carefully from his place in the living room. I winced. Damn, I had forgotten that one of the vamps could sense emotions. Jasper smiled slightly at my discomfort before shifting slightly so that Alice could sit beside him and Edward's other siblings, Rosalie and Emmett, on the couch.

I hesitated at the doorway of the living room, my eyes flickering over the room's inhabitants. Edward and Bella walked past me and took their places beside Carlisle and Esme on the other couch. Esme smiled at me and gestured towards a cake that had been placed on the coffee table in front of a third couch, where Seth and Jake were already stuffing slices of the stuff into their mouths. Sam stood behind them, his dark eyes watching me with disapproval.

"I thought I told you to run the perimeter with Paul," he muttered.

"You know how annoying Paul is," I replied lightly, trying to hide my unease. "I couldn't wait for Quil and Embry to let us go."

The edges of Sam's mouth twitched upwards, although his brows furrowed with the effort of hiding his smile. I felt my heart ache slightly at the sight, remembering the times when he had tried not to be amused by one of my more reckless adventures and had failed miserably.

"And so you decided to pay our friendly neighborhood vampires a visit," he mused, his eyes skeptical.

I shrugged, unwilling to describe the strange feeling in my gut that had been urging me to get my ass over to the Cullen house ever since Sam's howl woke me up.

"I heard there was cake," I muttered by way of explanation, earning myself a beam from Esme.

"It's really good," Seth croaked around the cake currently stuffed into his mouth. "Right, Jake?"

Jake nodded emphatically, although from the look on his face I think he was more excited to see me get skinned by Sam for disobeying orders than the flavor of the cake.

The smile finally made its way to Sam's face and he shook his head exasperatedly.

"Eat the damn cake, then," he muttered. "But save some for me before your brother eats it all."

I nodded, relieved that I wasn't about to get my ass kicked, and settled onto the couch beside my brother while Sam turned back to the Cullens.

"Now, then," he continued. "Where were we?"

"You were explaining what this new alliance would mean for us," Carlisle offered helpfully. I saw Edward and Jasper lean forward in their seats, their eyes watching us warily.

"Yes," Sam sighed, abruptly serious. "As I was saying, this new alliance would still prohibit you from coming onto our lands-."

"What about Bella?" Seth interrupted, his words slightly muffled by the cake. "Why can't she come? We know she's safe."

Sam glanced at my brother so that he would shut up and turned back to the Cullens.

"We merely want to ensure our people's safety he explained, mostly to Bella.

She nodded.

"I understand," she murmured. Then she grinned. "Besides, you all can still visit here whenever you want, right?"

Esme and Emmett nodded in agreement, although I noticed that Jasper and Rosalie still seemed a little wary.

Sam smiled slightly and nodded in acknowledgement of Bella's words.

"Besides the fact that La Push will remain off limits, all other aspects of the treaty will be changed," he explained. "For instance, if you feel that it is… necessary to save a human with your gifts, you could bring them into your family, provided that you give us prior notice so that we can voice our approval."

A few eyebrows rose at the mention of our approval but Carlisle quickly nodded.

"And if another vampire who has already been created wishes to join us?" he prompted.

Sam frowned thoughtfully for a moment.

"It would be up to your own discretion," he said slowly. "Although I must insist that you still give us prior knowledge and, should the new vampire lose control and become a threat…"

"We will do what is necessary to protect the people of Forks, and our own," Carlisle interrupted carefully. "However, you will understand if we ask that you do not attempt to kill any of our kind that has joined our family, whether recently or otherwise, unless we deem it necessary."

Sam nodded, his jaw tense.

"Of course," he replied with equal care. "But you must remember that we have our own people to protect, Carlisle."

I shivered at the tension in the room, and wondered if this was the reason why the treaty had been created in the first place. Bella seemed to share my unease; I caught her casting worried looks between us and her new family.

A howl pierced the air, causing us to jump. Before I had consciously thought about what the howl meant, I was on my feet, with Jake and Seth by my side, my hands shaking with the beginnings of the change.

"That's Quil's howl," Jake hissed, his russet skin pale.

"Jake, Leah, get out there and see what's going on," Sam snapped. "Seth and I will follow as soon as we are assured that there is no threat here-."

"We can take care of ourselves," Rosalie snapped. "Go."

Sam nodded and motioned for us to leave. I darted ahead of Jake, wondering if I would have time to salvage my shorts and tank top before I changed.

"We're going to need to do a quick shift," Jake muttered.

"No time for changing out of our clothes, I guess," Seth agreed.

I growled under my breath. This was my favorite pair of shorts.

"Rosalie will lend you some of her clothes," Edward called after us. I heard Rosalie hiss at him in displeasure and was tempted to echo the gesture. There was no way I was borrowing clothes from a vamp.

"Beggars can't be choosers, Leah," Sam reminded me. "Now hurry up, Quil's howl is fading."

I sighed and leapt over the Cullens' porch, my body shifting into my wolf form mid-leap. I felt the air ripple behind me as Jake, Seth, and Sam changed as well, their paws thudding into the earth only seconds behind me.

_Run ahead_, Sam ordered me.

I nodded and pushed ahead, my legs carrying me ahead of my pack mates as my mind reached out to Quil's.

_What's going on over there?_ I yelled mentally.

_Vamps_, he shot back. _And… not vamps._

_What do you mean 'not vamps'?_ Sam demanded.

_There are creatures here… they look like vamps but they're… not_, Quil explained warily.

I frowned and tried to look through his eyes, only to have my view blocked by his fear.

_We're on our way, Quil_, Jake assured him.

_I'm almost there_, I added.

_Same here_, Embry added, his own footsteps sounding close behind me.

I broke through the trees seconds later, my claws digging into the ground as I skidded to a stop beside Quil's chocolate brown wolf. Embry came to a halt at Quil's other side, his bared teeth gleaming a deadly white against his light brown fur.

_We've got your back, Quil_, Embry assured him.

I didn't say anything, my eyes focused entirely on the creatures in front of us.

Just as Quil had said, there were creatures here that weren't vampires, although he had exaggerated the number of actual vamps since I could only see one. Like regular vamps, these creatures had fangs that were currently bared, and their porcelain skin glowed faintly in the sunlight that filtered through the canopy above. Unlike vampires, these… things didn't just have red, black, and gold eyes, and it almost seemed like I could hear a faint heartbeat pounding within their small chests.

_Dude, what are these chicks?_ Seth wondered, his mental voice slightly awed as he joined us with Jake by his side.

I frowned. I hadn't noticed that the creatures were all girls; honestly, aside from the similarities they shared with vampires, I hadn't noticed anything about them. Since the moment I entered the clearing, my entire focus had been on the one vampire in the group, a vampire who seemed just as wary of the creatures as we were, and who was currently studying us with black eyes that were almost fearful.

A man who suddenly seemed to shimmer with a light that had nothing to do with the sunlight, whose nearly frantic gaze pierced through me and made my heart pulse rapidly inside my chest.

Some distant part of me groaned, realizing what was happening before the rest of my stunned mind could catch up.

I had imprinted. On a vampire.

I was in deep shit.

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own any of these characters, including the awesome wolf pack. *sniff* Anyways, thanks to all the people who read/reviewed this story, you guys are awesome!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

JakePOV

I slowed to almost a stop as I neared the clearing, my eyes narrowing against the glare of the sunlight that filtered through the canopy above me. My mind reached out to my fellow pack mates, only to hit blank walls of fear and unease. I frowned and pushed forward once more, Seth's paws hitting the earth a few feet away as he struggled to keep up. I could feel Sam behind us, his mind torn between sending someone to warn the council and keeping us together.

_Should have thought of that before_, I pointed out.

_No time_, he snapped back. _Keep moving._

I nodded and raised my head as I broke through the barrier of trees and entered the clearing, my teeth bared. I came to a stop beside a frozen Leah, my tail twitching in expectation of the coming fight. My eyes travelled over the inhabitants of the clearing, sizing them up. The crouched positions of their bodies stood out to me, and I realized that we had interrupted a fight between these strangers. A low coughing laugh escaped my lips at the thought. Clearly it wouldn't be hard to defeat them if they were already divided.

One of the strangers moved towards the edge of the clearing. I growled at her in warning, causing her to jump and stare at me with wide brown eyes. My growl caught in my throat and I felt my tail go limp as I stared back at her, my eyes taking in her porcelain skin and pointed fangs at the same time that I heard her heartbeat echo across the few feet that separated us.

Strangely, it wasn't the fact that this strange bloodsucker actually had a heartbeat that nearly caused me to faint with shock, wasn't her warm brown eyes that made me want to run away and pull her into my arms at the same time. It was something else that caused these reactions, something that seemed to hover around this girl like some odd gold mist; something that now seemed to be the only thing that kept me tied to earth.

And then I knew that I was screwed.

AlecPOV

I hadn't expected the wolves.

Aro had warned me before I left him that there would be other creatures near the Cullen's, creatures that weren't quite vampire or human but a mix of both, and I had known from what I witnessed in Volterra that Bella was now the eighth member of the Cullen coven and that two others had also joined since I had last visited Forks in the nineteenth century. I had known that I was to gain the Cullens' trust, had known that I would be obliged to either kill or make an alliance with the hybrid creatures depending on how reasonable they seemed (based on the fact that they tried to kill me the moment I approached, I doubted that making an alliance with them was an option).

What I had not known was that there would be wolves in these forests, wolves that were so different from the ones that Aro had become partners, yet at the same time so similar that my long-dead heart almost beat again in fear.

I watched with mounting trepidation as more and more wolves joined the first one in the clearing, their hackles raised threateningly as they eyed us with surprisingly-human dark eyes. My eyes met those of a silver wolf for a moment and I felt a strange thrill run through me that scared me more than the sight of the wolf itself. Because, for a strange moment, I felt like I had a connection with that wolf, that creature that had suddenly lowered its hackles and was now regarding me with so much alarm in its eyes that I almost felt pity for it.

Whatever connection there was, it was broken the moment a large wolf with fur the color of black ink entered the clearing, its bared teeth and tensed muscles somehow more threatening than those of its fellows. It regarded the hybrids and me for a moment, just as its companions had a few moments before, and barked once. A few feet away from me, a large wolf with russet fur stiffened like one who has been awakened from a dream and twitched its tail in something like acknowledgement. The black wolf nodded and disappeared for a moment into the trees.

My eyes narrowed as I felt a strange ripple go through the air and I found myself glancing once again at the silver wolf. The creature met my gaze for a moment before looking hastily away, its eyes flickering towards a sandy wolf on its one side with something like anxiety. Whatever the reason behind its fear, the sandy wolf did not seem to notice the silver wolf's glance. Its dark eyes were focused on the trees that had so recently swallowed up its fellow, its tail twitching with excitement.

Someone stepped into the clearing, tearing my attention away from the two wolves. My eyes focused on the newcomer and widened when I saw that he was naked. The newcomer stared at me impassively with cold black eyes, his bare russet skin glistening with sweat in the dim light. I thought of the small group of hybrids in the clearing with me and felt my cheeks burn with the first blush that I had felt in centuries. Regardless of the opinions of men nowadays, what remained of my human self could not condone having women exposed to the sight of naked men, no matter what kind of creature they were.

The newcomer ignored my unease (if, indeed, he noticed it at all), and moved to stand in front of the wolves. Out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed the silver wolf duck its head and avert its eyes, as if it shared my embarrassment.

"Who are you?" the man demanded harshly. "And what do you want?"

"Why should we tell you?" one of the hybrids demanded in a shrill voice, her hazel eyes flashing rebelliously.

"If you don't tell us your intentions, then we will assume that you are here to hurt our people and we will kill you," he replied coolly.

"Your people?" a hybrid with curly copper hair and large brown eyes repeated. "You mean that there are more of you?"

"Who are you?" the man said again with deadly calm.

"Renesmee," she said quickly. "My name is Renesmee." She paused and glanced expectantly at the girl beside her, a hybrid with light blue eyes and straight platinum-blonde hair.

"I am Mystique," the blonde hybrid muttered reluctantly.

"Jayna," a brunette murmured, her pale face slightly hidden as she ducked her head.

"Lori," the hybrid beside her, a girl with cropped dark hair and even darker eyes added.

"Cari," the hybrid with the rebellious eyes piped up.

The man nodded to each of the hybrids as they said their names and turned to me.

"Well?" he said shortly.

I raised my eyebrows.

"Yes?" I prompted with cool politeness.

"What is your name?" the man growled.

"What is yours?" I shot back.

A wolf with chocolate brown fur growled at me, only to be silenced by a sharp look from the man and the silver wolf. The man only regarded me coldly.

"If you tell me your name, I will tell you mine," he said evenly.

"My name is Alec," I admitted.

"I am Sam," the man replied. "Now then, why are you here?"

"I was coming to see the Cullens," I replied.

Sam's eyebrows rose infinitesimally and he turned to the hybrids.

"We were travelling," the rebellious one, Cari, snapped.

"To where?" Sam inquired.

"That's none of your-," Cari began.

"We didn't know," Jayna mumbled from beneath her curtain of brown hair.

"We were running," Renesmee added. She glanced warily at the russet wolf before moving closer to Jayna. The russet wolf watched her silently.

"Who were you running from?" Sam asked, his voice slightly gentler than before.

"Vampires," Renesmee told him, earning herself a glare from Mystique, Cari, and Lori.

"Why?" Sam demanded, his eyes darting towards me. I frowned, slightly annoyed. Really, what right did he have to assume that I was the one after these bothersome hybrids? Granted, we were fighting when the wolves discovered us, but still.

"They don't like us," Jayna whispered, her quiet voice barely audible in the silent clearing.

"They think we're trash," Mystique added coldly, her blue eyes like ice. Jayna shivered at the sound of the girl's voice and glanced at her from beneath her curtain of hair, revealing soft green eyes.

"I see," Sam murmured. Then he turned on me. "What do you want with the Cullens?"

"Why do I have to explain myself to you?" I demanded. "And how do you know the Cullens?"

"I could ask you the same question," Sam pointed out. "And unless I can be assured that your intentions do not endanger my people, I will have to kill you."

I heard the silver wolf whine quietly and felt fury rise inside of me.

"I would like to see you try and kill me, mongrel," I snarled.

The wolves growled at me, their bared teeth glinting wickedly in the sunlight as they prepared to advance. Lori and Mystique, the two hybrids who were closest to me, hastily moved farther away.

Suddenly, the silver wolf barked, a high, pleading sound, and ran ahead of its fellows. It stopped in front of me and turned so that it faced the other wolfs, her tail twitching furiously. The sandy wolf whined and moved to approach me, only to be stopped by a look from Sam.

"Leah," he snapped. "What are you doing? Get back in line."

I saw the silver wolf's legs tremble, as if some inner force was urging it to follow orders, but the animal held its ground.

"Leah-," Sam began again.

Another of the wolves, the russet one, barked and hastily darted into the trees. A moment later, another man (also without clothes) ran to Sam's side. This one did not seem as immune to the shocked gazes of me and the hybrids. I saw his russet cheeks redden slightly as he glanced at Renesmee out of the corner of his eye. Sam glared at him, less than pleased.

"Jacob-," he began.

"Sam," Jacob hissed under his breath. "Leah says she can't let us kill the blo- Alec."

"Why?" Sam demanded.

Jacob mumbled a few almost incomprehensible words. I caught the word "imprint" and frowned, wondering what that meant. My gaze travelled down to the silver wolf in front of me. Leah… I hadn't actually thought that it could be a female, hadn't known that there could be female creatures. I hadn't seen any in Siberia; at least, I didn't think I had…

Leah ignored my puzzled gaze, her black eyes focused intently on the two men. Occasionally, her tail would twitch in a way that seemed to convey anxiety and relief. I noticed that the other wolves were looking at her as well, their dark eyes wide, and wondered once again what I had gotten myself into.

Sam sighed heavily and turned back to me, his eyes resting on Leah almost accusingly. She whined and shifted uneasily, causing the fury to well up inside of me again.

"You're coming with us," Sam told me shortly. "We'll take you to the Cullens."

Leah relaxed and twitched her tail gratefully, although I noted that she continued to stay close to me. Sam shook his head in something like anger and turned on the hybrids.

"As for you..." he murmured thoughtfully.

"Sam," Jacob called, his dark eyes worried. Another wolf with light brown fur tainted with silver whined and came to stand beside him.

Sam swore and turned away from the hybrids and his wolves.

"It looks like we're all going to the Cullens, then," he snarled.

I sighed with relief and looked down at my savior. My eyes met hers for a third time, and I felt the ghost of the connection stir up inside me. I shivered and looked away, my hands clenching into fists at my sides.

_What was happening to me?_

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, although I would LOVE to, and all of the credit belongs to Stephanie Meyer, who I admire and envy. Thanks to all of the people who read/reviewed this story! So sorry for the delay guys, I'll try and do better!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

JakePOV

I waited until I was sure that none of the wolves would attack Renesmee or the other hybrids before I ducked back into the woods to change into my wolf form again. Embry and Leah's minds greeted me with relief as soon as I changed, a nice contradiction to the almost accusing tones of the rest of my brothers.

_Jake_, Quil whined. _Jake, Leah, what are you guys doing?_

_Shut up, Quil_, Leah snapped defensively. I shot her a grateful glance and moved to approach the hybrids with Embry by my side. After a few moments, Quil and Seth followed reluctantly.

Almost as one, the five girls drew away from us, although I thought that Renesmee seemed to do so unwillingly. I sighed and glanced at Embry pleadingly. Out of all of us, he was probably the most likely to have clothes on him and I had the feeling that these girls would be more receptive to a suggestion made by a guy who wasn't naked...

Embry nodded and darted into the trees for a moment to change. He appeared by my side in a moment, his black hair ruffled, his khaki shorts still slightly rumpled.

"Hello," he mumbled shyly, his dark eyes darting towards the shy hybrid, Jayna. "We're supposed to escort you to the Cullens."

"Why should we follow you?" the rebellious Cari snapped.

"If you don't, Sam will kill you," Embry warned, his voice almost pleading.

"How do we know that you won't simply kill us when we follow you to these vampires?" Mystique asked coolly.

"Cari, Mystique," Renesmee interrupted warningly. I felt muscles tremble at the sound of her voice. "Please. It would be smarter for us to do what they say for now."

"Oh, really?" Cari sneered. "Just like it was smarter for us to let those two vamps take us in for a few weeks before they called the Volturi on us?"

"This isn't like-," Renesmee began.

"No, they never are," Lori grumbled. "The situations you get us into are never like the others, Renesmee, until they end with us running for our lives again."

"Please," Renesmee pleaded. "They said that they would kill us if we didn't-"

"They will kill us even if we do," Cari interrupted.

Embry cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the argument. The shy girl, Jayna, seemed to be the only one who noticed.

"Guys," she whispered. "I think he wants to tell us something."

Her companions glanced at her in slight surprise before turning back to Embry.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I just want you all to know that I won't let anyone hurt you, and neither will Jake," he added, gesturing to where I stood.

"Jake?" Renesmee repeated thoughtfully. "Is that his name?"

I barked and nodded, causing her to smile. Something warm erupted inside of me and I grinned back, although it probably didn't have the desired affect in my wolf form. Still, her smile didn't fade.

"Why should we believe you?" Cari growled. "And what about the rest of your furry friends?"

"Our brothers won't hurt you when it will hurt us," Embry assured them. "And you just need to believe us, ok?"

"I do," Jayna mumbled.

"Boy, aren't you talkative today," Cari muttered, causing her to blush. Embry glared at her.

"Come on," Embry said to Jayna gently. "I promise you'll be safe." The girl nodded mutely and followed him out of the clearing. After a few moments, her three troublesome companions followed, their eyes flickering back to Seth and Quil warily. I hesitated before walking up to Renesmee, the only hybrid who hadn't yet moved to exit the clearing. She looked at me, her lips twitching upwards into another smile.

"Are you going to be my escort, Jake?" she asked playfully.

My tail wagged slightly when she said my name and I ducked my head in a nod. She laughed, one of those bell-like laughs that I had only heard from vampires. Somehow, with her, the laugh sounded human.

"Lead the way, then, oh fearless escort," she giggled.

I snorted and began to follow Quil and Seth, my head constantly turning to make sure the girl was still following me. She was.

LeahPOV

I kept close by Alec's side as we made our way to the Cullens, trying to ignore the accusing glares and thoughts of Sam and the rest of the pack. Only Jake, Embry, and Seth had refrained from yelling at me, but since Embry was in his human form, Jake was too absorbed with his own imprint, and Seth was too confused to speak to me, they weren't much comfort. Neither was my own imprint, for that matter. He had barely said a word, either to me or anyone else; although, seeing as I was a wolf and everyone else had basically threatened to kill him at some point during the last few minutes I guess I couldn't exactly blame him for not speaking.

Bella and Edward were waiting on the porch when we approached, their pale faces worried. Bella smiled when she saw us, although her smile quickly disappeared when she saw Sam's expression and the vampire walking beside me.

"Alec?" she gasped. "What the-?"

"What are you doing here?" Edward demanded, his eyes narrowing as he edged closer to Bella.

I felt Alec tense and glanced unwillingly at Sam. He seemed smug.

"I was sent by Didyme," Alec murmured.

"Really?" Carlisle mused, his expression calm as he came to stand beside his son. I blinked, startled by his sudden appearance. I hadn't seen the vampire exit the house.

"Yes, sir," Alec replied. "We have received word that Aro is being... less than peaceful and she sent me hear to make sure that he wasn't posing a threat to your safety."

"How kind of her," Edward snarled. I tensed at his tone and moved closer to Alec, my fur brushing against his leg. The vampire jumped and glanced down at me with something like panic. I looked back at the Cullens and saw that they were watching us with raised eyebrows. Bella gasped, her golden eyes widening as they traveled between us.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Did you-?"

I barked warningly and glanced at her meaningfully. Sam chuckled bitterly.

"Yeah," he nearly sneered. "She did."

"What?" Alec demanded. "What did she or we or whoever the hell you are talking about do? Why am I not being torn apart by wolves or hybrids or vampires at the moment instead of being protected by some wolf?"

I winced at his description of me and shifted a few inches away, suddenly hurt. Of course, I couldn't really blame him for being angry or freaked out, I would probably have yelled at someone way before this point if our situations had been reversed. Still, I couldn't help but wish that my love life would go on without a hitch for once.

"I think that you hurt Leah's feelings," Edward observed. I glared at him. Damn, I had forgotten that he could read minds. He only smiled at me with more understanding than I would have liked.

"My apologies," Alec growled. "However, I would still like to know what is going on, and if _Leah_ doesn't want to explain than-"

"Oh, she does want to explain," Edward interrupted cheerfully. "However, as you have no doubt noticed, when the wolves go back into human form they do not have clothes on, and since Leah has no clothes on her and doesn't want to leave you to get some other clothes in case Sam or the others change their minds about not killing you, she isn't really in the best position to explain things."

Alec raised his eyebrows and glanced down at me again, although this time he had less anger in his eyes.

"Why do you want to protect me so badly?" he whispered.

_Trust me, I wish I knew_, I thought. I glared at Edward as he began to open his mouth, my eyes narrowing. _Keep out of my head, bloodsucker. I've already got seven men in my head, I don't need eight._

Edward smirked and finally focused on the rest of our group.

"Who are these girls?" he asked, his voice wary again as he eyed the hybrids.

"We're the hybrids who should be ripping your new vamp friend to pieces, apparently," the girl called Lori replied sweetly. I growled at her, earning myself a smirk.

_I like her_, Paul stated.

_Don't even think about it,_ Jared snapped back. _We have enough imprints already._

_You're one to talk_, Seth quipped. _When was the last time you talked about how great it was to have Kim, two hours ago?_

_Please,_ Jake snickered. _He can't even go one hour without ranting about how wonderful the chick is._

I chuckled and glanced at my brother and Jake gratefully. They nodded back.

_We've got your back, sis_, Seth whispered. _Although you know that mom is going to freak when she finds out._

I shuddered and refocused on the Cullens, trying not to think about my mom's reaction when I went home and told her that my future husband was a vampire. Yeah, that would go over extremely well.

Edward's mouth twitched into something like a smile and he refocused on the hybrids. He frowned and glanced over at Sam.

"Why are they here?" he asked.

"Jake and Embry wouldn't let us kill them," Sam explained shortly.

Bella chuckled and glanced over at Jacob knowingly.

"I think that we should bring out the rest of the family, Edward," Carlisle mused. "It seems like this conversation is about to get very interesting, and I have a feeling that Alice, Emmett, and Esme wouldn't want to miss it." 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

AlecPOV

I glanced around at the guest room that the Cullens had given to me once it became clear that I wasn't going to be killed by either werewolves or vegetarian vampires, trying to keep my eyes from going to the small huddle of silver fur that I had learned was called Leah Clearwater. I had yet to actually see her in her human form, although since the other wolves had appeared naked when they turned human and I doubted that she had any clothes hidden in her fur, perhaps it was better off that I didn't see what she looked like now.

Leah had explained to me about the imprinting process through Edward Cullen, an experience that I was not eager to relive as it had been incredibly awkward. Unfortunately, for them as well as myself I suppose, no amount of explanation could make me feel at ease about my new situation. I had been sent by Aro, the greatest enemy of the Cullens and their allies, to find their weakness so that he could attack with allies of his own, creatures that I felt only abhorrence for. Now, here I was, bound to one of the creatures that I had sworn to destroy by some spiritual bond. What was I going to do?

I glanced over at the sleeping Leah, wondering if I would be able to betray her as I would have to betray the others when the time came, if I would repay her kindness with death like my own sister Jane would do without a moments hesitation.

_I will_, I thought firmly, more as a way of convincing myself than anything else.

I had to.

Renesmee POV

"Geez this house is huge," I muttered. I placed my hands on my hips and turned in a slow circle, my eyes checking out every feature of the room in minute detail. Oh yeah, this place was awesome. Or, at least, it was better than anything that I had seen in awhile.

"Yes," Jayna murmured in agreement, her voice still cowed after the criticism Lori and Mystique had sent her way. I noticed a red spot on her forearm from where Cari had slapped her and had to force myself not to dwell on images of throwing the three of them off of a cliff. Or, better yet, having them ripped apart by those lovely wolves that we had recently met... Speaking of which...

"So, what do you think about our new wolf boyfriends?" I asked teasingly, hoping to get the fearful expression off of my friend's face. Jayna had been through enough hell in her life, Cari, Lori, and Mystique had no right to make it worse.

Jayna blushed, although I noticed that she seemed more shy than displeased.

"I don't know," she mumbled. "Do you think that they were lying?"

"Why on earth would they do that?" I asked, my brow furrowing. This was typical Jayna; she had been ready to follow that Embry person when he was completely naked and urging us to follow him and a pack of giant wolves into vampire territory, but when that same person assured her that he was in love with her and would protect her from anything she immediately began to doubt.

Jayna shrugged, her blush deepening to a deep scarlet.

"How could- they're not supposed to love us after only meeting us two hours ago," she muttered.

"They are if it's some sort of wolf soul mate thing," I pointed out cheerfully. I wasn't sure if I entirely believed in it myself, but I got a good vibe about Embry, and I hoped that he would be able to boost Jayna's confidence a little. Of course, if they were lying I would kick his ass all the way to China for hurting Jayna, but...

"What about you?" Jayna asked, interrupting my thoughts with barely concealed curiosity in her tone. "What do you think about your... wolf boyfriend?"

I shrugged, my eyes going automatically to the bay window that made up an entire wall of the room. If I craned my neck slightly, I could just see flashes of his russet fur as he paced beside several of his pack mates, his head swiveling between my window and the leader, Sam, who had been so keen to kill that vampire, Alec. I supposed that I wasn't really in a position to encourage Jayna in her relationship with Embry when I didn't even know where I stood with the werewolf Jacob Black. True, there had been... something about him that I had sensed in the forest, before we came to the Cullens, that had made me instinctively trust him, but it wasn't like I was ready to jump into his arms and run off to marry him after two hours.

"We'll see," I admitted after a few moments. After a few more moments of thought, I added "If they aren't lying, at least we'll have someone to protect us from the vampires."

Jayna glanced up at me in surprise, her soft green eyes almost outraged.

"If they aren't lying, and they really do love us in that way, would we be able to let them protect us from vampires if it would mean their death?" she demanded.

I couldn't help the shudder that went through me at the thought and looked out of the window again, my eyes focusing once more on Jacob's thick fur. For the first time, I began to actually wonder what I had gotten myself into.

JakePOV

"No," Sam was saying, his jaw set in that way that means that whoever is arguing with him had better back down, and quickly.

Instead of backing down, I stepped up and looked him in the eye (it wasn't very hard since my wolf form was taller than the average human). Beside me, Embry placed a cautioning hand on my shoulder as he spoke to Sam again.

"Please, Sam," he begged again. "You know what it's like when you aren't around Emily. You can't expect us to go through-."

"Yes, I can," he snapped. "We don't know what they are exactly, we can't be sure what kind of a threat they are. We can't let them stay in La Push with our families."

I couldn't take it anymore, I transformed back into my human form, although I felt my face redden as I glanced back at the window that Bella had told me belonged to Renesmee and Jayna. I hoped she wasn't still watching us, neither Embry nor myself were comfortable with the idea of having our new imprints see us without any clothes on.

"Then let us stay here," I demanded. "If you won't let them come with us, let us stay with them, at least until we can get to know them better, figure something out."

"Absolutely not," Sam growled. "No one is staying here with these-."

"What about Leah?" I yelled, earning a nervous whine from Seth. "She wasn't even able to let Alec out of her sight for a moment, do you honestly think that she would agree to leave him behind so that she can go to La Push."

Sam's jaw twitched and his eyes darkened with something that I would have called jealousy, if he hadn't already had Emily.

"Leah," he said slowly, as if it was taking a lot of effort for him not to growl again. "Does not understand what she is going through yet, and will need some time to figure things out on her own. She is perfectly free to visit... Alec whenever she does not already have other responsibilities in La Push."

"How often will that be?" Embry asked, his eyes narrowing. He wasn't naturally a rebellious or suspicious type, but I could tell that Sam's last words had struck a nerve with him. And, judging by the sudden stiffness in Seth's muscles, Embry wasn't the only one.

Before Sam could reply, Seth had barked out a warning and darted into the woods. He appeared a few moments later with two pairs of shorts in his hands, his own tanned legs covered by a favorite pair of jeans that had been cut off at the knee to make them shorts.

"Here," he said shortly, shoving the two extra shorts to me and Embry. "Get dressed before you both die of embarrassment from having your girlfriends see you." He turned to Sam, his normally cheerful face tense with anger. "And how dare you say that my sister has no idea what she's going through. She has as much of an idea as the rest of us, from listening to you and Jared rant about your imprints every other day, and she has more experience with love than the rest of us because of her relationship with you."

Sam recoiled as if Seth had hit him. He hated being reminded of the relationship he had had with Leah, the one that had ended with heartbreak when he had suddenly left her for her cousin Emily.

"Leah knows what she is doing," Seth continued. "And so do Jake and Embry. You're just worried because you don't know what's going on. Well, news flash, the rest of us had no idea what the hell was going on when we first changed into wolves, and we've all made out alright. Just because something is unknown or new doesn't mean it's dangerous."

"What do you want me to do, then?" Sam snapped. "Let everyone who has imprinted waltz around Forks with their imprints, shirk their responsibilities in La Push? Let Jake, Embry, and Leah get killed because their bloodsucker lovers have betrayed them?"

I snarled at Sam and would have lunged for his throat if Embry hadn't held me back, although judging by the trembling in his muscles, he had barely been able to restrain himself. Sam watched us, his dark eyes widening as he realized two things: one, that he was going to lose this argument; two, that in the process, he might also lose part of his pack.

It was then that a voice spoke up, a voice that none of us had expected to hear.

"I have a solution."

It was my dad.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters, unfortunately. All of the credit belongs to the amazing Stephanie Meyer. Also, I'm so sorry for the delay in this update. I promise that the next one will actually be on time. Thanks as always to everyone who read/reviewed this!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

JakePOV

"Dad?" I demanded, trying to figure out if I was confused or embarrassed.

He smiled thinly at me before turning back to Sam.

"I know how we can fix this problem," he repeated carefully.

Sam raised his eyebrows and nodded for him to go on.

"You know that Jacob's ancestor was the original alpha of the wolf pack," my dad continued, his eyes fixed warily on Sam to measure his reaction. "The ability to be an alpha is still in his blood, even if he has refused to use it up until now."

"What's your point?" Sam snapped. The combination of our imprint argument and talk of rival alphas was making him tense.

"My point," my father replied calmly. "Is that Jake can become an alpha of another pack, a pack that is allowed to stay with these new imprints without losing the protection of other packmates."

"What about La Push?" Paul asked before Sam could say anything.

"The old pack protected La Push with only three members," my dad pointed out. "The seven of you who are not bound to these newcomers will be able to protect it just fine without Jake, Embry, and Leah."

"I'm not leaving Leah," Seth objected. "If my sister goes to another pack, I go with her."

Quil whined, echoing the sentiment, although I thought the whine was more for Embry and me than for Leah.

"You have no business leaving La Push, Quil," Sam snapped. "Think of Claire." Quil whinced and was silent. "And I don't like the idea of losing part of my pack," he added tightly.

"I see no other option if you won't let them go when they are part of the pack," my dad retorted.

Sam groaned and pressed his hands to his temples. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily before turning to look at me.

"What do you think?" he asked reluctantly. "You're the one who gets affected by this the most."

I hesitated for a moment, my eyes flickering over towards Seth and Embry before travelling to Renesmee's window. For a split second, I caught sight of her soft brown eyes watching me from beneath her curtain of curly bronze hair. It was enough.

"I think it's worth a shot," I said firmly. "If Embry, Leah, and Seth will agree, then I'll do it."

"You know it will be permanent," Sam warned me.

"So are imprints," I shot back.

"I stand behind Jake," Embry added. Seth nodded and glanced back towards the Cullen house where Leah was sleeping.

"Leah and I are with you too," he assured me. "Even if she doesn't know it yet," he added with a small smile.

Sam frowned and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Fine," he snapped. "Let's see if we can make Jake an alpha, then we'll discuss new arrangements with the Cullens."

I nodded and looked back at Renesmee's window. She was still there, watching me. I forced myself to look away again as the rest of the pack made its way into the forest, hoping that I was doing the right thing.

Renesmee POV

"You did what?" Bella Cullen gasped, her butterscotch eyes wide with shock. The rest of the Cullens were gathered around her, their expressions ranging from skeptical to surprised to confused as they faced Jacob, Embry, Seth, and a still half-asleep Leah.

"We formed a new pack," Jake muttered, looking almost embarrassed. "I'm the alpha."

"Why?" Carlisle Cullen asked, confused.

"To stay close to our imprints," Embry piped up, his cheeks reddening as he cast a furtive glance towards Jayna. I felt her stiffen beside me, and saw that her face had gone pale with something almost like fear. "Sam wouldn't let us leave La Push to be with them otherwise," he added. "So... this was the only other option."

"Where are you going to stay?" Rosalie Cullen demanded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "If you think that we'll let you stay here until this is all sorted out you've got another-."

"Newsflash, this isn't our first choice of living quarters either," Leah snapped. She had managed to borrow some clothing that belonged to Bella when she shifted into human form, although I didn't think she really liked the arrangement. "No offense, you guys have a nice house but... we all have our own houses and the vampire scent doesn't always agree with us."

"I don't mind it," Seth muttered. "And shouldn't you be getting used to the vampire smell now that you have one for a-."

"Anyways," Leah interrupted, her cheeks reddening as she glared at her brother. "Jake and Sam have already arranged things so that we can crash in a house at the edge of La Push without actually getting in the way of the pack."

"What about your families?" Esme asked, her kind eyes concerned.

Embry shifted, looking uncomfortable.

"My dad has already given his permission," Jake spoke up. "He's going to talk to the Clearwaters about Leah and Seth. As for Embry..." Jake's voice trailed off and he glanced at his friend. I felt Jayna shift beside me and noticed that she was watching her supposed imprint with the same concern that I had seen on Esme's face.

Embry sighed and glanced in Jayna's direction, the corners of his mouth turning up in a smile when he saw the look on her face.

"I suppose I'll have to explain that to my mom on my own," he murmured. "It's about time that she learned I'm a werewolf, anyways."

"You don't have to do it alone." All eyes turned towards Jayna as she spoke. She blushed but didn't look away from Embry.

"If you want," she said slowly. "I could come with you."

Embry smiled at her but shook his head.

"I don't want you to see my mom freak out," he told her gently. "I don't want you to be hurt if she lashes out at you."

Jayna bit her lip and looked down at her feet.

"I... I don't mind," she muttered.

"Oh, give it a break," Mystique snapped. "It's obvious he doesn't want you with him."

"Mystique," I snarled as Jayna's face darkened to scarlet.

She shrugged and glared at me balefully.

"I'm just trying to give her a dose of reality," she muttered. "It's obvious you need one, too, if you think this werewolf crap will protect you from the vampires."

I felt my face burn and thought I heard a low growl from Jacob's direction.

"We're safe here," I said tightly.

Cari snorted.

"We're safe until they get bored and through us to the wolves." A slightly cruel smile twisted her thin lips. "No pun intended."

"Renesmee," Lori murmured, her cool voice interrupting the erupting argument. "This won't work, you know it won't. You both know that this will end badly," she added, turning to include Jayna in her reasoning.

"We can protect them," Jake interrupted furiously.

"How comforting," Mystique growled. "What about us?"

"If we need to, we can protect you as well," Leah interrupted, obviously making an effort to sound civil.

"Aren't you confident in yourselves," Cari said sarcastically. "Did you forget that your vamp boyfriend tried to kill us a few hours ago? What if he tries again?"

"He won't," Leah said quickly.

"Oh, really?" Alec muttered flatly. I jumped and glanced at him in surprise. I hadn't heard him come in.

Leah's face reddened and she ducked behind her brother, looking as if she really regretted her words.

"Look, I'm getting tired of this," Mystique sighed. "Renesmee, Jayna, we're not staying here. If you two want to stay behind with your new boy-toys, be our guests, but you're on your own if anything goes badly."

Jayna's cheeks drained of color and she turned to me, although I noticed that her eyes were flickering towards Embry. I felt Jake's eyes burn into the back of my head and resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably.

"What do you want to do?" Jayna asked quietly. She wouldn't be able to stay here without me, and we both knew it.

I hesitated, trying to decide what course of action to take. Almost unexpectedly, thoughts of what Jake had gone through to take care of me and Jayna ran through my head, and I felt something stir inside of me. I sighed.

"I'm staying here," I told them firmly. "I feel safe here, and I'm tired of running."

Jayna nodded fervently in agreement and shot me a grateful look. Mystique and Cari glared at us, although I noticed that Lori didn't exactly look disappointed.

"Fine," Mystique growled. She turned to Lori and Cari and jerked her head towards the front door. "We're out of here," she snapped. The two nodded and made their way towards the door, with Mystique close behind. She paused at the door and looked back at us again, her eyes hard.

"You can all go to hell," she hissed. Then she was gone.

Jayna and I were alone.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters, all of the credit belongs to the amazing Stephanie Meyer! Sorry to keep you guys waiting! Also, because I am such a hopeless romantic, I hope all of you (or most of you) watched the royal wedding 'cause it was so awesome! Anyways, thanks to all of the people who read and reviewed!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

EmbryPOV

"_W-what are you?"_

"_Mom, please, it's not-."_

"_WHAT ARE YOU?"_

"_I'm a werewolf, Mom."_

"_Who did this to you?"_

"_No one, Mom, it's hereditary."_

"_What?"_

"_My dad, whoever he is-."_

"_Don't bring him into this!"_

"_He did this, though, Mom, it was through his side-."_

"_Get out."_

"_What? Mom-."_

"_Just go, Embry. I can't- I need some time to- go."_

"_Mom..."_

"_Go."_

I sat on the edge of my new bed in the room that I now shared with Seth and Jake, my head in my hands. Occasionally, my feet would lash out restlessly and come into contact with one of the bags that I had brought with me and still needed to unpack. Or maybe the bags were some of Jake's and Seth's... I hadn't exactly brought many of my things with me, and it wasn't like I had had that many to begin with.

Dimly, I heard the front door shut slowly, as if whoever had opened it was trying really hard to be quiet. Maybe Jake or Leah had forgotten something and didn't want to bother me... I knew whoever was in the house now definitely wasn't Seth; that kid couldn't be quiet if his life depended on it.

The smell hit my nose at the same minute that I heard her light footsteps on the floorboards outside of the room. I raised my head just as she reached the doorway, my eyes meeting her green ones immediately. She blushed, her dark hair looking slightly mussed, as if she had ridden in a convertible on the way here; of course, she could have just ran... vampires were supposed to be really fast.

"Um, hi," she mumbled.

"Hey," I croaked. I winced at the sound of my voice and looked away for a moment to compose myself.

"Are you okay?" Jayna asked, her voice concerned.

I started to nod but stopped. I couldn't lie to her.

"No," I sighed. "My mom..."

"Yeah," she interrupted quietly. "Renesmee overheard Jacob telling the Cullens. Do you- I mean, would you mind if I- can I sit with you for awhile?"

I nodded mutely and moved over to make room for her. She hesitated for a moment before carefully sitting down beside me, the tips of her fingers just barely brushing against mine as she settled down. I felt my breath catch and looked over at her. Jayna bit her lip and studied her feet, which I noticed for the first time were bare.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

I shrugged and, impulsively, reached out to take her hand in mine.

"I don't mind," I muttered.

She offered me a small smile before abruptly sobering.

"What will you do now?" she asked quietly.

I didn't answer for a moment.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I could try and find my dad, I guess, but... I don't think that I want to. And I suppose that my mom will come around eventually, I mean it was something of a shock..." My voice cracked and I stopped, my cheeks burning.

Jayna squeezed my hand comfortingly, then blushed.

"I'm sure your mom will understand," she assured me. "It's what they do."

"What's your mom like?" I asked suddenly.

Jayna's eyes hardened slightly and she looked away, making me regret my words.

"I'm sorry," I began. "I shouldn't-"

"No, no," she assured me quickly. "It's okay. Um... my mom died when I was born."

"I'm sorry," I repeated, feeling like an idiot.

She shrugged and returned to studying her feet.

"It happens a lot with people like me," she mumbled. "We tend to kill our mothers because their bodies aren't strong enough to handle our vampire sides." She was silent for a moment. Then: "That's why I don't want to know who my father was either. I can't... I don't understand how he could have hurt my mother that way."

"Perhaps he didn't know what he was doing?" I offered.

"But he wasn't there, either," she insisted. "If he had loved her at all, he would have been there."

I nodded sympathetically. I knew how that felt.

"Seems like both of our dads suck," I muttered under my breath.

She smiled and nodded.

"They do indeed."

The door slammed, causing both of our heads to snap in the direction of the noise.

"Embry?" a small voice called out tentatively.

"Oh crap," I gasped. My mom was here.

AlecPOV

I followed the hybrids' trail, mentally cursing myself for not going after the three sooner. If I hadn't stayed long enough to hear what those bothersome wolves were saying I could have found them by now...

_Wasn't it enough to see her blush, though?_ A voice that was quickly getting annoying whispered in the corner of my mind.

I ignored it, trying to keep myself from thinking of the female wolf. I couldn't get distracted now, not if I wanted to live very long.

I heard their voices before I saw them. They were arguing. I had a feeling that they argued a lot. I smiled slightly. Amateurs.

One of them, the one called Lori, leaped out of the trees as I passed, her slender hands clawing at the skin of my neck. I slid effortlessly out of her grip and threw her to the ground, my hands closing around her pale throat. I bared my teeth, enjoying the expression of fear that flickered in her eyes.

"You need to let me speak to you and your companions," I snarled.

"Get up off of Lori," the one called Mystique growled from behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see that both she and Cari had come to stand behind me and were poised to attack me.

"Let me speak," I insisted.

"We will when you get off of Lori," Mystique assured me, much to the shock of Cari and Lori both.

I smiled and jumped up off of Lori. I faced the other two with a small bow.

"Thank you," I told them politely. "I assure you that I appreciate your-."

"What do you want?" she interrupted.

My smile widened, although I couldn't shake the feeling that I was doing something wrong.

"I have a proposition for you three," I began. "My master Aro has need of three intelligent ladies such as yourselves."

"Aro?" Cari growled. "The vampire leader of the Volturi? Why should we help him?"

"Because he stop any other vampire from attacking you ever again, and can make sure that you are the most feared creatures on the planet," I told her. "And," I added after a small pause. "He can help you get revenge on the two who left you for the werewolves."

"Renesmee and Jayna?" Lori demanded. "Why do we need vengeance on them?"

"Because they left us," Mystique snapped. "Because they didn't think that we were good enough."

"But you'll show them," I told her.

She smiled, a cruel, almost frightening smile.

"Yes," she murmured. "We'll show them."

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, all credit belongs to the awesome Stephanie Meyer! Sorry again for the delay, and thanks to everyone who read or reviewed this story!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

EmbryPOV

I felt Jayna stiffen beside me at the sound of my mom's voice. I forced myself to release her hand and looked at her, my ears straining to hear the sounds of my mother's footsteps as she made her way through the small house.

"You can go if you want to," I told her quietly. "I don't want you to feel like you have to stay if you- if you don't want to."

She hesitated for a short moment, her green eyes flickering towards the doorway that she had walked through only moments before.

"No," she said slowly. "No, I will stay." She hesitated again, her cheeks flushing with just the barest hint of pink. "Um, do you want me to hide? I mean, if you don't want your mother to see me..."

I laughed despite myself.

"My closet isn't that big," I pointed out.

"Embry?" my mom called out again, her voice more timid than before.

"I'm in here," I replied before I could change my mind.

There was a long pause before my mom's footsteps began again. Jayna tensed again and reached for my hand. I took her hand without a second thought, my thumb rubbing small circles against her cool skin in an effort to soothe myself.

Jayna's head whipped in the direction of the doorway just moments before my mother's anxious face appeared around the frame, her tanned skin still slightly pale. Her dark eyes widened at the sight of Jayna and her cheeks flushed.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I didn't know that you had... company. Who-?"

"Mom, this is Jayna," I explained quickly. "She's a... Um, she's my..."

"I think the term is girlfriend?" Jayna mumbled shyly, her cheeks now a dark pink. She watched my mother cautiously, her green eyes wide with a mix of anxiety and wonder.

"Girlfriend?" my mom repeated dazedly. "How- when did this happen?"

"Yesterday," I mumbled.

"How long have you two known-?"

"We met yesterday," I sighed.

My mother blinked and glanced at Jayna again with wide eyes.

"Yesterday," she whispered weakly.

"I'll explain later," I assured her. I didn't think that now was the best time to explain about that part of my werewolf heritage, especially after how she reacted last time I tried to talk to her about werewolves.

"This has something to do with... with what you tried to tell me about earlier, doesn't it?" she whispered, as if reading my mind.

I nodded cautiously, my eyes fixed on her expression warily. My mom looked back at me, looking strangely fragile. It scared me to see her like this. My mother had always been so strong, so sure of herself... it killed me to know that I had made her this way.

"Embry, I-I'm so sorry," she choked. "I shouldn't have- I didn't mean to yell at- I should have been more understanding-."

"Shh," I whispered soothingly. I left my place beside Jayna and crossed to my mom's side, my arms wrapping around her shoulders as she leaned against me. "It's okay, mom," I whispered thickly. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," she muttered thickly. "You're my son. I need to be with you, no matter what happens."

"You are here for me," I assured her. "You're here."

I felt Jayna's cool hand on my shoulder and looked over at her. She shifted awkwardly and looked down at her feet, her cheeks still pink with the remains of a blush.

"I should go," she mouthed. "You need... time alone."

I nodded slowly, noticing for the first time the way her eyes seemed misted with invisible tears. I opened my mouth to ask her what was wrong, then thought better of it. I didn't think that I had it in me to comfort two girls at the same time.

"Come back later?" I whispered.

She smiled slightly.

"Sure," she murmured. She bit her lip and studied me for a moment before leaning in to kiss me on the cheek.

I felt my mouth fall open and stared at her. Her face reddened again and she turned away, her bare feet gently slapping against the floor as she ran to my window and leaped out onto the forest floor below.

"What-?" I glanced down to see my mom staring at the place where Jayna had disappeared, her mouth agape.

I winced and gently led my mom to my bed before sitting beside her. I would have a lot of explaining to do.

LeahPOV

I stood just inside the line of trees that circled around the Cullens' property, my eyes straining to catch a glimpse of anything other than trees of animals. If I listened closely, I could hear the low hum of voices over the gurgling of the river that separated the trees from the Cullen house. Jayna hadn't returned from her visit to Embry yet. I didn't know whether to be anxious or envious, although at the moment I was leaning towards envious. How was it that the vampire hybrid who could barely say a word front of anyone had better luck in the romance department than I did?

_God, I'm pathetic_, I thought scathingly. The only way that I could possibly sink lower was if I got jealous of Seth... thank God he didn't have an imprint yet.

_Only a matter of time_, an annoying voice in the back of my mind pointed out.

_Shut up_, I snapped. Geez, was I the only one with annoying voices in my head? I hoped not... it was bad enough being the only girl wolf without being the only crazy one.

I felt my muscles tense as I caught a flicker of white darting between the trees. My eyes focused on Alec's dark head as he darted towards me, his red eyes narrowed with annoyance.

"Where have you been?" I blurted out as he came to a stop in front of me, my arms crossing in front of my chest.

_Ugh, I sound like such a paranoid bitch_, I muttered to myself.

"I was hunting," Alec replied shortly.

I gulped and glanced at his eyes again. Were they redder than they had been the last time I saw him? I couldn't tell...

"Hunting... humans?" I whispered weakly.

"Yes," he snarled. "What else?"

I shuddered, trying to hide the disgust I felt at the thought.

"Do I make you sick?" he asked me tauntingly.

"Only your eating habits," I mumbled. "I- could you hunt animals?"

"Why would I do that?" he asked impatiently.

"Because... the pack doesn't approve of killing humans, and when you break their rules it makes it harder for me to protect you."

"Why do you protect me if it's hard?" he shot back.

I glanced at him sharply, feeling my temper rise. Imprint or not, did he have to be so damn frustrating?

"I already explained why," I snapped. "You're my-."

"I don't give a damn about imprints," he yelled, his eyes flashing furiously. "I'm not in love with you, no matter what twisted werewolf shit you want to spout trying to convince me otherwise. I can't love you," he added in a quieter voice, the fury in his eyes tainted by something even worse... fear.

I bit my lip, struggling to contain the pain that was rapidly replacing the anger that Alec had created inside of me. I knew this feeling... remembered it vividly from what I had felt when Sam had left me for my cousin, Emily. I had only recently learned to put aside the pain that Sam had caused me... now it looked like I was going to have to go through it again.

"Are you crying?" Alec asked, his pale face shocked.

"No," I snarled, although I could feel the warm tears already running down my cheeks. "Damn it," I choked under my breath. "Not again..."

Alec's brow furrowed in confusion. I saw his hand reach hesitantly for my chin, only to fall slowly to his side as he seemed to think better of the action.

"What do you mean 'again'?" he asked cautiously.

I shrugged and looked down at my feet, unwilling to explain my whole screwed up romantic history at the moment.

"Why do you care?" I countered.

"That's a good question," he muttered, his eyes strangely uncertain.

Without thinking, I closer to him and raised my chin, trying to look him in the eyes. He stared back at me, his already white cheeks growing slightly paler.

"What aren't you telling me, Alec?" I asked quietly.

"I could ask you the same thing," he murmured.

"I want to know that I can trust you," I admitted. "That you won't... hurt me like others have."

"I can't promise that," he whispered, looking as if he was about to draw back again.

"Alec-," I began, reaching out to touch his cheek.

His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, holding it away from him in a grip of stone. I glanced up at his burning eyes, feeling my heart begin to pound with something that was close to fear at the sight of those merciless scarlet eyes ringed with black. Wait.. black? Didn't he say that he had been hunting?

Alec's lips crashed against mine, making my mind go completely blank for a moment. I gasped against his lips before pulling myself closer, my lips moving against his. I heard him moan as his lips parted beneath mine, his cool tongue meeting mine tentatively. My arms wrapped around his neck just as his snaked around my waist, pulling my body close to his. I pulled away after a few moments and laid my head against his chest, gasping for breath. I felt his chest heave beneath me, though I couldn't hear a heartbeat. Strangely, the absence of the heartbeat didn't bother me, though when I had gone out with Sam the sound of his heart pounding beneath me had been soothing. It seemed that silence could be just as comforting as a heartbeat, given the right circumstances.

"Alec," I whispered.

He didn't reply, although I could feel his arms tighten around me.

"Alec... you didn't feed, did you?" I whispered.

"No," he croaked.

I was silent, waiting for him to say more. He didn't.

Without a word, Alec raised his arms and pried my hands off of his neck. He turned and ran towards the Cullen house, jumping effortlessly across the river, leaving me alone beside the trees.

I groaned and sank to my knees, my tears now flowing freely down my face.

Damn, why was life never easy?

**Okay, I am sooo sorry for how long it took me to put this up. To my loyal and much abused readers, I can only offer a two word excuse: writer's block. Yeah, its a lousy excuse but it's what I have. Anyways, obviously I do not own Twilight since I am not Stephanie Meyer, and thank you all so much for continuing to read/review this story.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

AlecPOV

Oh God, I was in trouble.

I had tried to avoid her, had tried not to think about her, had almost convinced myself that she meant nothing, that the imprinting that she and her wolves preached as if it were scripture wasn't real.

And then I had ruined everything with one touch that sent an electric shock through nerves that should have died long ago and a kiss that made feel as if I could touch heaven, though I knew that I was damned.

I could hear her fall after I left her, could nearly smell the tears that were falling from her tanned cheeks onto the grass beneath her like tiny drops of rain. I stopped and leaned against the wall of the Cullens' home, fighting the urge to turn around and go to her, to comfort her and ask her who had hurt her. No, I couldn't go back. Wanting to comfort her was what had gotten me into this awful mess in the first place.

"Damn," I choked, fighting against the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat. Since when had my life gotten so complicated?

"Is something wrong, Alec?" Edward Cullen's cool voice asked from somewhere nearby.

I jerked around to face him, my muscles tensing when I saw that his mate, Bella, had come with him, thereby making my best weapon useless.

"No," I snapped immediately, desperately trying to keep my mind from straying to thoughts of Aro or Leah. I could tell from the look on Edward's expression that I had already failed.

"You lied," he stated simply.

"I-," I began, only to stop almost immediately. What use was it to argue? I had betrayed myself, and he could tell if I lied.

"You do realize that we should kill you," Edward continued, his gold eyes blazing with anger.

"Yes," I sighed. _Better you than Aro_, I added mentally.

"Why do you follow him?" Bella asked quietly. I glanced at her in shock, although I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that she knew. From what I had heard, vampires told their mates everything.

"He will kill me if I do not," I admitted quietly.

"Then why not ask Didyme and Marcus for protection?" she wondered. "We could help you. Marcus still owes me, and we do not want to kill you."

Edward looked like he disagreed entirely.

"Didyme and Marcus cannot protect me ," I told her. "There are some things that Aro possesses that no vampire can fight against."

"What things?" Jasper Cullen demanded. I hadn't heard him approach, although now that I looked I saw that all of the Cullens had gathered around me in a loose circle, their expressions varying from solemn disapproval to cold, merciless anger.

"Where are the hybrids and wolves?" I asked, hoping to buy myself some time.

"Renesmee and Jake went with Billy to meet with the tribal council, and Jayna went to visit Embry at the house set aside for the wolves," Bella told me, earning herself glares of disapproval from several of the Cullens. "You know where Leah is, and Seth has gone to La Push to meet with his mother."

"Stop avoiding the question," Jasper snapped. "Tell us what weapons Aro possesses or we will make you regret that he was not the one to kill you."

"Are you sure that you can do that?" I murmured, a bitter smile twisting my lips.

Jasper only waited, his sides flanked by his mate, Alice, and his brothers Edward and Emmett. I glanced back at the place where I had last seen Leah, my eyes barely making out her crouched figure next to the trees.

I knew then that I would have to make a choice.

SethPOV

_Okay, so that was one of the worst conversations I've ever had_, I thought. Wow, what an understatement. Just remembering the look of horror on my parents' faces when I told them that Leah had imprinted on a vampire and that both of us had left the pack to join another one led by Jake so that Leah could be near said imprint... If I hadn't been the one telling them, I would have laughed out loud at my dad's face. That clueless, almost dazed look... I wondered if that was how I looked when people called me clueless. Of course, my mom had looked like she was about to breathe fire...

_Damn you, Leah_, I cursed my absent sister. She was going to owe me big time after all of this shit was over.

"Hey, dumbass!" a voice with a think British accent screamed at my back.

I blinked and turned around, my eyes meeting the furious blue gaze of a slightly ruffled teenage girl. She was crouched on the ground a few feet behind me, her jeans torn and coated with dust from the road. Papers were scattered on the ground around her, and her black messenger bag hung loosely from her pale white arm as she struggled to collect the paper before the wind blew it away.

"What the hell?" she yelled. "You just ram into me like some frickin' brick wall and you don't even have the decency to turn around and apologize?"

I didn't answer, I could only stare. Actually, for some odd reason, I was trying not to laugh at this angry blonde girl. Even though she was kneeling on the ground, it was obvious that she was probably more than a foot shorter than me while standing, yet her voice was loud enough to rival a fog horn, and the fury that flashed in her eyes was so intense that it could easily tower over the Empire State building if it became solid. And then there was the odd shimmering quality of her hair, as if it had somehow absorbed the sunlight.

"S-sorry," I managed to stammer out. "Do you want any help?"

"No," she snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I just yelled at you because I felt like freaking out a random stranger." Then, seeing the clueless look on my face, she added "You're kind of a clueless bloke, aren't you?"

"That's what I've been told," I admitted.

A small smile flickered across her face and she rolled her eyes.

"Just help me pick up these damn papers," she muttered, trying to hide the amusement that had entered her tone.

I crouched down by her side, my hands reaching automatically towards the scattered papers as I watched her, my eyes in everything from her muddied sneakers to the gentle curve of her lips that seemed to be a result of constant smiling, although at the moment she still looked more annoyed than cheerful.

"What are these things, any ways?" I asked, trying to make conversation with my silent companion.

"Notes," she replied curtly. "I'm studying journalism at Forks High School and I decided to do a report for a summer project."

"I didn't think that they gave summer projects in journalism," I admitted.

"They don't, but I always liked to go above and beyond expectations." She glanced at me as I handed her the last paper smeared with mud, her eyes narrowing again. "Why'd you have run into me, anyways?" she demanded.

"I swear, it wasn't on purpose," I assured her. "I wasn't, ah, watching where I was going."

"Obviously," she muttered, although I thought that I still detected some amusement in her eyes. "Troubled thoughts?"

"Sort of," I agreed. "I just had an- um, an interesting conversation with my parents."

"Ah," she mused, her amusement now changing to sympathy. "I know about those. I had one with my folks right before I left. My mum wasn't keen on the idea of sending me into Yank country... What was your conversation about?"

"Relationship issues," I muttered without thinking.

She glanced at me sharply, seeming strangely irritated.

"You're not gay, are you?" she asked warily.

"Wha- no! No, I was talking about my older sister," I said quickly. "She's- uh, well she got a new boyfriend recently and my folks don't exactly approve..."

"So she dragged you into it? Nice," the girl scoffed.

I shrugged. Around this girl, Leah's new annoying problems didn't seem so bad.

"What's your name?" I asked.

The girl glanced at me, looking surprised.

"Didn't I-? Oh, well, that was rude of me... I'm Alyssa, Alyssa Barnes. And you are?"

"Seth Clearwater."

"Nice to meet you, Seth." Alyssa reached out to shake my hand, another small smile flickering across her lips. I held back a gasp at the shock that went through me at her touch, my eyes widening at the feel of her skin against mine. Alyssa hastily removed her hand from my grip, looking about as shocked as I felt.

"Uh, I should get going," she muttered. "See you around, Seth."

"Yeah," I murmured. "Yeah..." Wait, she was going? "Wait, Alyssa?"

"Yeah?" she asked, looking slightly preoccupied as she pushed the mass of dirty papers in her hands back into her bag.

"What's your project about?" Shit, that wasn't what I had wanted to ask her.

"Oh, I heard a rumor about werewolves in town," she told me absently. "I'm going to see if I can find any truth behind the rumor and expose the creatures. It should get me a good grade, don't you think? I might even be able to get it put in a magazine if it's good enough... Anyways, I need to go Seth. I'll see you some other time, alright?"

I nodded mutely, too shocked by her words to actually say anything. As I watched her walk away, I realized two things.

One, that our packs would be in incredibly deep shit if she found anything with that project of hers.

Two, that there was a pretty good chance that she was my imprint, and I wasn't exactly regretting that fact.

Oh yeah, and there was one other thing that I realized.

I was going to see Alyssa Barnes again, no matter what I had to do.

**Disclaimer: Again, I do not own Twilight or any of its characters because Stephanie Meyer created them, not me. Also, thanks for all the people who read/reviewed the story, and sorry for the slight delay. Also, since the school year is ending pretty soon, I should either be able to write more often or less, so we'll see what happens. And, because I've decided to suddenly be a little mean, I'm going to see if I can get at least ten more reviews before I post the next chapter, okay? I want to hear what you guys think of this story so far, if you have any suggestions, if you absolutely hate it and want to attack me, what ever you happen to be feeling at the time. Hoping to hear from you soon,**

**Luxio Nyx**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

AlecPOV

"We're waiting," Edward snapped, his flashing gold eyes fixed on me like I was his next meal. I glared at him. Whatever I had done (and I was becoming more convinced by the second that I had been assisting in evil deeds over the last few days), there was no way that I was going to stand around and let a vampire less than half my age stare me down.

"Watch yourself, Cullen," I snapped. "Trust works both ways and I will not agree to betray my sister and former master just to have you look at me as if I'm some kind of beast you want to sink your teeth into."

"What makes you think that you're not an animal?" Emmett Cullen interrupted, a large smirk spreading over his chiseled features. "And as for the sinking of teeth... I wouldn't mind trying to rip you apart, little Volturi."

"Emmett," Carlisle Cullen interrupted quietly. "Edward. Let Alec speak. We will make our own decisions after hearing him speak." The vampire patriarch looked over at me, his kind gold eyes only showing a hint of disapproval. "Please, talk to us, Alec. My family's lives depend on your honesty if Aro's plan is as serious as you have implied... as do the lives of our allies, the wolves."

I winced at the less-than-subtle reference to Leah and barely kept myself from glancing back at the wolf that I had left crumpled on the ground not long ago. I could barely hear her heartbeat from this distance... would she be able to hear what I was about to say?

"Jane brought me into it," I began, my cheeks flushing slightly with the ghost of a blush. "I was... not happy, I suppose, but content to continue serving the Volturi under Didyme and Marcus. I wanted to protect my sister... she is cruel and evil but she is still the only living relation that I have left. She wasn't content with serving Didyme, she had always been so... devoted to Aro." I cringed, remembering the way my sister had embraced the ancient vampire when we had first found him with his new allies. I saw Edward's brow furrow slightly in disgust as he heard the thought and shot him another glare.

"She threatened to go on her own, to leave and never come back," I continued. "I couldn't lose her, she was- she is all that I have. I followed her, agreed to go and meet Aro. He was thrilled to see Jane but... he didn't trust me. After all, I was the one who had made her leave him when Didyme took over. He would have killed me right there but Jane vouched for me. She told Aro that I was trustworthy. He gave me a task to prove myself, to show that it would be advantageous not to kill me."

"So he told you to spy on us," Jasper guessed slowly.

I shrugged.

"More or less," I admitted. "I was supposed to find your weaknesses, to trap you so that he could attack with his new allies."

"You sent him other allies, didn't you?" Edward snarled, his expression furious.

"Yes," I admitted. "I told the hybrids where to find him. I thought that, if I sent him new allies devoted to his cause, he would know that I was trustworthy and-."

"- and he would let you leave," Bella guessed. I glanced at her and nodded, slightly impressed by how perceptive she was.

"I think he believes that I will die on this mission," I mused, voicing a thought that had only recently begun to tease me. "He knew that you would catch me eventually, especially with Edward at your disposal."

"But... wouldn't that warn us about his attack?" Esme Cullen interrupted, her soft eyes narrowed with confusion. "It wouldn't be a very advantageous course of action."

Carlisle glanced at his wife with tender amusement before turning back to me.

"She is right," he agreed slowly. "This isn't Aro's style. Doesn't he prefer a sneak attack?"

"Not normally," I admitted. "Aro admires the dramatics too much to merely sneak up on an unsuspecting victim. He likes to make them wait, make them squirm as they realize that there isn't anywhere to run."

"Creepy," Emmett muttered. He sucked in a sharp breath as his mate, Rosalie, elbowed him in the gut. I couldn't help the small smile that spread across my lips. I had to agree with him there...

"Who are these allies of Aro's?" Jasper demanded. "Why are you so afraid of them?"

"They are werewolves," I murmured, holding back a shudder at the memory. "They- they were so... so hideous. Humans used to call us monsters but those- those things... those were the monsters."

"Were they like our wolves?" Bella asked, her eyes darting back to the place where Leah had crouched moments before with concern. I followed her gaze, noticing with a dim sense of relief that the wolf was no longer there. I didn't want her to hear any of this.

"No," I assured her quickly. "No, these things..." I turned to Carlisle pleadingly. "Do you remember the Children of the Moon?"

"Dimly," he conceded. He frowned suddenly as he understood what I was getting at. "But Caius is terrified of the creatures... he had them exterminated-."

"Did he?" I asked quietly. "Or was Aro the one who carried out the destruction?"

Carlisle blinked, looking slightly stunned.

"I- Yes, I suppose he would be the one to-."

"Then," I interrupted quietly. "Wouldn't it be safe to say that Aro could have spared some of them, made them owe him for saving their lives? Those that he spared would have become completely devoted to his cause in return. From what I have heard, the Children of the Moon are loyal creatures."

"Yeah," Emmett scoffed. "Until they turn around and bite you in the ass. No pun intended."

The Cullens rolled their eyes but otherwise ignored the strong vampire.

"So, Aro is going to attack us with a few vampire allies and some werewolves that are supposed to be extinct," Bella mused. "But... depending on how many vampire allies he had managed to get, we probably outnumber him, and since he doesn't know about our werewolves..." Her voice trailed off at the slightly guilty look that I knew had managed to creep into my expression.

"The only reason the hybrids agreed to join Aro was to get revenge on Jayna and Renesmee for choosing werewolves over their own kind. It would surprise me if they did not tell Aro about the wolf pack," I muttered.

"Regardless," Jasper broke in. "We could still have the advantage of numbers with the wolves on our sides. Aro can't have managed to have that many allies after what happened with Didyme, and I'm sure that the pack can handle the Children of the-." Jasper broke off, his eyes flickering to Edward as the vampire groaned and pressed his hands over his eyes in exasperation.

"What is it?" Bella asked gently.

"Leah," he muttered, his eyes meeting mine with something that was almost pity. "She heard some of our conversation..."

I bit my lip to hold back a groan and ran a hand through my hair in frustration.

"What did she hear?" I asked, not sure that I wanted to know the answer.

"Better yet, is she ticked off?" Emmett asked eagerly, earning himself another elbow in the gut from Rosalie.

"Actually," Jasper murmured, his amber eyes tightening slightly as he reached out to Leah's emotions. "She's extremely pissed."

**Okay, so I am really sorry for how long it took me to put this up, and I'm also sorry that this is kind of short. Yes, I am suffering from a bit of writer's block but I was mostly studying for finals last week and this week and I have recently become addicted to this anime called Hetalia and I keep finding the most amazing fanfics about my favorite pairings (USUK and RusCan all the way baby!) so... yeah, sorry. Feel free to come after me with pitch forks or torches or even werewolves (although if you send Embry or Seth after me, I can't promise that I'll send them back... them wolves are yummy, haha). And, in case you guys can't tell I am slightly hyper... I have no idea why, to tell you the truth. Anyways, thanks to the people who read/reviewed this story! Thanks for putting up with me! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

JakePOV

"Is this your house? Uh, your new house?"

I glanced behind me at Renesmee's words, my mouth curving into a smile when I saw the look of amazement on her face.

"Yeah," I said casually. "It's not much, I know, but its the best we could get on such short notice... I mean, it's about the same size as my old place, nothing special."

Renesmee snorted and shot me a wry smile.

"You're forgetting that I haven't had a home in... well, actually, I don't know when I've ever had a real home. So, this place looks pretty sweet to me," she said pointedly.

I nodded and hesitated for a moment before slipping my arm around her shoulders.

"This is your home now," I muttered. "I mean, as long as you want it to be."

She smiled, her chocolate eyes brightening when she caught sight of Embry and Seth through the window.

"Are we going to go inside and join them, or are we going to stay out here all night?" she asked teasingly.

"Hm... I wouldn't mind staying out here," I mused. "I think it would be quite comfortable, actually."

"Oh, really?"

"Yep. Of course, it might get cold later on... we might have to huddle together for warmth." I paused and flashed her a wicked grin.

She giggled and rolled her eyes.

"Boys," she scoffed.

"Hey, what's wrong with being a guy?" I demanded.

"Nothing," she said sweetly. She giggled again and grabbed my arm before moving towards the door. "Just so you know, I'm not spending the night out here."

"Yeah, I didn't think that you would," I admitted.

She paused a few feet away from the door and grinned over her shoulder at me.

"Although," she whispered mischievously. "I don't exactly object to the cuddling idea."

"I thought I said huddling, not cuddling," I murmured.

Her grin widened.

"Does it make a difference?" she asked sweetly. She opened the door before I could reply, her voice raised as she alerted the others to our arrival.

Embry and Seth gave me knowing looks when we entered the tiny living room, their dark eyes amused. I winced and avoided their gaze. Damn, I had forgotten that they could hear us out there...

"So, Jake, I think it's going to be kinda cold tonight," Seth said innocently. "Wanna huddle together for warmth?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up, Seth," I grumbled.

Renesmee snickered and pulled me down onto one of the thread-bare couches that had been dumped into the room. She waited until I had settled down before falling gracefully into my lap, her eyes glinting wickedly. I smirked and ran my hands through her curly copper hair before glancing smugly at the others.

"Nice," Seth murmured appreciatively. "What did you two do today, anyways? Go on a date?"

I snorted.

"Hardly," I muttered. "We just went to talk to my dad."

"How's he dealing with all of this?" Embry wondered.

I shrugged and glanced out of the window at the darkening sky, remembering how my dad had welcomed Renesmee into the house.

"He seems fine," I admitted. "I mean, he did convince the council to let Renesmee into the reservation so that she could meet him, and he's the one who arranged for us to have this place so I guess he approves."

"That's better than my folks," Seth muttered darkly. "My dad nearly keeled over when I told him about Leah, and I swear my mom would have lectured me to death if I hadn't gotten out of there. Geez, it's not like I was the one to imprint on a vampire..." His voice trailed off as a red blush spread across his cheeks, making him look like an over-ripe tomato.

"What's up with him?" I asked Embry.

"He imprinted on a British chick," he replied with a wink.

I whistled and nodded at Seth appreciatively. "Nice, man."

Renesmee scowled and elbowed me in the gut, making me grin.

"Hey, no worries," I assured her. "I still like you better."

"Wait a second, you haven't even met my girl," Seth objected.

I raised my eyebrows at him but made no comment.

"Yeah, and apparently this chick is trying to prove that werewolves are real so that she can publish a story of hers in a tabloid or something," Embry continued, pointedly ignoring us. "So she's going to started snooping around La Push looking for evidence."

I frowned and glanced at Seth again.

"So, what are you going to do about that?" I wondered.

He shrugged and shifted uncomfortably.

"I- well I was going to try and see her again," he mumbled.

"I meant, what are you going to do about her quest to prove that werewolves exist?" I snapped. "If she gets it published in a tabloid our cover would be blown and we'd never be able to get anything done. Plus, the Cullens would probably be revealed too and then we'd all get killed by the Volturi or something."

Renesmee shuddered at the mention of the Volturi and pulled herself slightly closer to me. I decided that I didn't really mind that at all.

Seth glanced at his feet and shrugged, looking slightly sheepish.

"I could tell her about us and ask her not to publish her story?" he suggested.

"Yeah, like she'd actually abandon a money-maker like that," Embry scoffed. He glanced out of the window and sighed. "I wonder where Jayna is... I called her and told her that my mom had left, and she promised me that she'd be right over..."

"And has anyone seen Leah?" Seth added, seeming grateful for the change of subject.

"I'm here," Leah's voice snapped from right outside the window. She stalked through the doorway a few moments later, slamming the door behind her with enough force to break it.

"Hey, watch it," I warned. "We only just got here, it's too early to break anything."

"Shut the hell up, Jake," she snarled. "I'm not in the mood."

"Whoa, who stepped on your tail, sis?" Seth demanded, looking slightly alarmed.

Leah growled again and stalked over to the small kitchenette. I heard the refrigerator door slam shut a few moments later and watched as she stomped back into the room with a bottle of Coke in her hand. She glared at us again before plopping down onto the nearest empty chair.

"Hey," Seth asked again, more quietly this time. "Hey, what's the matter? Is it Mom and Dad? I already talked to them, okay? I'm sure that they'll be fine with you and Alec eventua-."

"Mention that bastard's name again and I swear to God, Seth, I'll beat the shit out of you," Leah interrupted.

I raised my eyebrows and exchanged a slightly shocked look with Embry. Renesmee inched closer to me once again, her eyes wide with alarm.

"What happened?" I asked warily.

"I- He left and I started to get worried so I went after him," she grumbled. "We ran into each other when he was coming back and talked a little..." Her voice trailed off and she blushed before hastily continuing. "Anyways, he ran back to the Cullen house for no reason at all and I know I shouldn't have been listening but I couldn't help but hear, especially when I saw how angry they were with... Alec. And then-." She stopped suddenly and turned away, the Coke bottle already raised to her lips. I noticed for the first time that there were tears in her eyes and felt my heart sink. Oh shit... not again, this couldn't be happening to her again.

"What happened next, Leah?" Embry prompted her gently. "Why were the Cullens angry with Alec?"

Leah sniffed and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Apparently, he was actually spying on them for Aro," she reported dully. "He-he only came here to prove his loyalty to Aro. They started talking about Aro's allies..." Her voice trailed off again and she sighed.

"What about his allies?" I insisted. "If you're worried that we won't be able to handle them-."

"No, no, I know that all of us can handle anything, especially with Sam's help," she assured us. "I- it's just that they started talking about werewolves- I guess Aro has some of those too- and- and Alec said that they were monsters... he thought that they were hideous... so, I thought, if he thinks that those werewolves are hideous monsters than he must think-."

"That we look like hideous monsters," I finished flatly, trying to hold back the fury that was rising inside of me at her words. How dare that son of a bitch insult us, especially when Leah was listening?

"M-maybe those werewolves are different?" Seth suggested hopefully.

"How many different types of werewolves can there be, Seth?" Leah growled. She sighed and stood up, leaving the half-empty soda bottle on the ground in front of the couch. "Look, I'm going to get some sleep, alright? If I'm not up by ten or something tomorrow... eh, who cares. Just don't bother me, okay?"

"Uh, o-," Seth began, only to be interrupted by an insistent knock on the door.

"Leah?" Alec's voice called hesitantly. "Are you there?"

Leah's eyes narrowed and she snarled before stalking out of the room.

"Don't let him in," she growled.

"Leah, I can hear you," Alec snapped. "Please, just open the door. We need to talk."

"Sorry, I've heard enough talking for today, thanks," Leah hissed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get some sleep so-."

"Please, Leah," Alec pleaded. "You don't under-."

"Alec, get away from my house or I swear I'll bite your head off," Leah snapped. Before he could reply, she ran out of the room in the direction of her room. I winced at the sound of her door slamming shut and glanced back at the front door.

"You still there, Alec?" I called.

"Yes," he said quietly.

"You might want to get out of here," I warned him. "I don't know if Leah was serious about biting your head off or not, but I don't think that you really want to take the chance."

I heard something that sounded suspiciously like a sigh and a mumbled thanks before Alec ran off, leaving us alone once again.

"Do you really think that he thinks you guys are monsters?" Renesmee whispered, her brow furrowed. "I mean, you guys don't really look hideous. I honestly think you're kind of cute."

"I'm not sure if I should be insulted or flattered," Embry muttered.

"I don't really know," I admitted slowly. "I mean, he's supposed to be her imprint so I don't see how he can see her that way."

"He doesn't," a soft voice interrupted us.

I jumped and glanced behind me, my eyes widening in surprise when I saw Jayna slipping gracefully through the now-open window. She smiled shyly at us before settling onto the couch next to Embry.

"I, uh, kind of overheard Alec's conversation with the Cullens," she admitted sheepishly. "Only, I think I must have heard more than Leah did because I heard Alec tell Bella that Aro's wolves were nothing like you. He actually doesn't mind you guys, from what I understand."

"Shouldn't you be telling Leah this?" Seth demanded. "I mean, it would really help things between her and Alec."

"Um, I was going to, but then I heard her threaten to bite Alec's head off... I didn't think that it would be best to mess with her right now," she admitted quietly.

Renesmee rolled her eyes and pulled herself off of my lap. She walked over to her friend's side and yanked Jayna to her feet before dragging her in the direction of Leah's room.

"Well, you've got to tell her sometime," Renesmee grumbled.

"Uh, maybe not now," Embry interjected quietly. "I agree with Jayna, now's probably not the best time to mess with Leah. Why don't you wait until tomorrow, okay? Let her get some sleep and calm down."

Renesmee frowned, not entirely pleased with this suggestion. She glanced pleadingly in my direction but I shook my head.

"Embry's right, let Leah sleep on it," I insisted. "We can't risk you two getting hurt because of Leah's temper, and I know she'd feel terrible if she did something to hurt you." Well, she would eventually.

Renesmee's frown deepened and she glanced in the direction of Leah's room again.

"It seems wrong to let her be angry at him for no reason, though," she murmured.

"Why don't you stay here for the night, then?" Seth suggested cheerfully. "Jake, Embry, and I could crash on the couches and you two could have our room. Then you could talk to Leah as soon as she got up."

I stared at Seth in horror, wondering if I should thank him for this stroke of genius or throttle him. Granted, Renesmee and I had been getting along really well, but I didn't want her to think that I was rushing anything...

"Yeah, that sounds great," Renesemee assured him. I stared at her for a long moment, causing her to blush before continuing. "Uh, you guys don't have to sleep on the couch, though. We'd be perfectly happy crashing out here for the night... I mean, we've had worse."

"No, no," Seth assured her. "It's fine. We don't mind the couch, right guys?"

Embry nodded numbly, obviously struggling with the same dilemma that I was.

"Yeah," he croaked. "Yeah, you girls go on and get some sleep in our room, okay? We'll, uh, we'll make sure to wake you up if Leah gets up before you do."

Renesmee nodded her thanks and started to follow Jayna to our room, only to pause and turn back to me. She grinned and flitted to my side for a moment to press her lips against mine before straightening up and darting out of the room.

I blinked in shock, my lips still tingling from her kiss and glanced over at Seth, who winked at me.

Oh yeah, I was going to throttle him. Right after I thanked him for coming up with his completely amazing idea.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. If I did, I wouldn't have any trouble paying for college... sigh, wishful thinking...**

**Anyways, sorry again for the delay, and... yeah, I decided to put a little bit of fluff in here. I think Jake and Renesmee deserved a bit of fluff before things get serious... ;) Remember, reviews are love (or so I've been told) and I love love, haha. Spread the love- review!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

RenesmeePOV

"Hey, Nessie?"

I glanced up at the sound of Jayna's voice and raised my eyebrows questioningly. Jayna blushed and shifted uncomfortably on the bed that she had chosen for the night (I had a strong suspicion that it belonged to Embry), her green eyes cautious beneath her dark hair.

"Do- do you think I was wrong to not tell Leah earlier?" she mumbled.

I sighed and shook my head reassuringly.

"Nah," I told her. "You did what you thought was the best thing to do, no one is going to blame you for it. Besides, it's only a few more hours. I'm sure it won't make too much of a difference."

Jayna nodded, looking unconvinced, and managed to shoot me a grateful look. She sighed and settled back against the pillow on the bed, a small smile flickering across her face as she allowed herself to sleep. I watched her for a moment before getting up from my place on the floor (I still wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of sleeping in Jake's bed, even if he had given me permission to use it). I made my way to the only window in the room and leaned against the windowsill, trying to see the stars through the thick canopy of the trees. If I squinted, I could barely make out the Big Dipper...

"Renesmee? Jayna? Are you guys there? Can you hear me?"

I stiffened at the sound of Cari's voice and stared in shock as the girl detached herself from the trees, her hazel eyes fearful beneath her dark hair.

"What the-?" I began. "Cari?" I called, wondering if it was a good idea to make myself known to the girl who had abandoned Jayna and I only a day ago.

Cari glanced up at the sound of my voice, her expression melting from fear into an almost ridiculous relie.

"Thank God," she gasped. "Please, you have to come out here with Jayna. It's Mystique, she's wounded. We don't know what to do..."

"What do you mean she's wounded?" I snapped. "What happened to her?"

"Nessie?" Jayna murmured sleepily. "Who're you talking to? Wait, is that Cari?"

"Please," Cari begged. "You guys need to get out here now. Mystique needs your help."

"Why?" Jayna wondered, her eyes creased in sudden concern. She turned towards the bedroom door, her hand already reaching for the doorknob.

"No," Cari called hastily. "No, just slip out of the window, it'll be quicker that way."

"Do you want us to get one of the wolves?" I asked warily.

"Uh, no, no, not yet," Cari said hastily. "We just need you two for now, you can get the wolves later if you think that we need them."

I frowned and glanced at Jayna, not sure what I should do next. As much as Mystique and the others annoyed me, they had basically been my family for most of my life, and I couldn't simply abandon them when one of them might be wounded... but then, what if Mystique wasn't wounded? It wouldn't be the first time that Cari had lied to us, and I wouldn't put it past her and Mystique to come up with a story just to get me and Jayna away from the wolves.

"What do you think?" I whispered to Jayna.

She hesitated, clearly struggling with the same misgivings that I was. Her eyes flickered back to the door that separated us from the rest of the house before resting on Cari once more.

"We'll be right out," she called. "Just give us a moment, alright? I don't want to go running into the woods at night in my pajamas."

Cari's eyes narrowed but she nodded reluctantly and leaned back against a tree to wait for us.

"What are you doing?" I hissed. "Neither of us own pajamas... besides, how do you know Cari's telling the truth about Mystique?"

"I don't," Jayna admitted. "So I'm going to leave a note."

I blinked and stared down at the small scrap of paper that had made its way into Jayna's hand. It was already covered in writing, although I couldn't remember ever seeing her write it.

"What's that?" I asked slowly.

Jayna blushed.

"I-I sort of wrote this for Embry while you were talking to Cari," she admitted shyly. "You two thought I was asleep..."

I nodded and looked at my friend with respect. "Damn, that was smart," I muttered.

Jayna beamed at me and carefully placed the note on top of Embry's bed before slipping out of the window. I leaped out after her and made my way over to Cari, who had been watching us with wary eyes.

"Doesn't look like you changed clothes," she noted. "What happened to that pajamas stuff?"

Jayna shrugged with forced nonchalance, although I noticed that her hands were shaking slightly.

"I didn't want to keep Mystique waiting much longer if she was really injured," she retorted.

Cari nodded, a sly smile flickering briefly across her lips.

"Yeah," she murmured. "About that..."

I yelped as ice-cold hands fastened around my shoulders and pulled me back against a hard chest. I tilted my head back to look at my captor, only to have the blood nearly freeze in my veins when I met a vampire's hard red gaze.

"Who the hell-?" I started, only to be interrupted by Jayna's own cry as she, too, was restrained by a second vampire.

"I don't believe you two have met the real Volturi," Mystique greeted smugly as she emerged from the surrounding trees, an expressionless Lori by her side. "Don't worry, though, you'll get to know them really well."

"Why would we want to get to know these jerks?" I growled, my eyes going unwillingly to the house that Jayna and I had so recently left behind. Damn, should I have left a note for Jake?

"Because Aro is extremely interested in you, little hybrid," a sickeningly sweet voice told me. I glanced to my right and stared as a petite girl with blond hair and glowing scarlet eyes walked out of the trees, her small form almost completely covered by a black cloak. "From what my brother has told Aro, you will be wonderful additions to his army."

"Your brother?" Jayna wondered, her eyes widening with a sudden fear.

"Yes," the vampire replied innocently. "I believe you know Alec, don't you? I bet you didn't expect him to be a double-agent, did you? Alec was always so good at fooling those around him."

"You have no idea," I muttered. Jayna shot me a warning look and shook her head before glaring back at the vampire.

"We won't help you or Aro," she told the vampire coldly. "You might as well kill us, we won't be of any use."

The small vampire chuckled and shook her head before fixing a sweet smile on Jayna.

"I have a better idea," she murmured, her smile widening as Jayna's screams pierced the night.

AlecPOV

I froze as screams erupted in the woods behind me, my eyes darting back to where I had come. To where Leah was.

I darted through the trees, my breath catching in my throat when the screams stopped abruptly. Had something happened? Who had screamed? Were they alive? Was Leah-?

A startled yell broke through my lips as a black wolf erupted through the trees in front of me. The wolf paused and glanced over its shoulder at me, its eyes narrowing. The air around it seemed to shiver for a moment as the wolf straightened into the form of a man.

"What are you doing here?" Sam growled at me.

"I heard a scream," I told him truthfully. "I was worried..."

"What, did you think that it was Leah?" the werewolf sneered.

My eyes narrowed but I said nothing. Sam sighed, apparently seeing the answer on my face.

"Leah doesn't scream," he muttered. "I've only heard her cry out in pain once, and that was when she was nearly dying of vampire poison."

"So, the scream wasn't hers?" I demanded, feeling a small bubble of relief form inside of me.

Sam nodded reluctantly.

"It doesn't mean that she's not in danger, though," he warned me. "We should get over there, now. Make sure that they're all alright."

I hesitated.

"I don't think Leah wants me around at the moment," I admitted.

Sam's eyes narrowed and he glared at me.

"What did you do?" he growled. "Dammit, if you hurt her-."

"I didn't," I interrupted. "Or, I.. didn't mean to. I've made some mistakes lately, but I'm trying to fix them."

Sam sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his cropped black hair.

"Listen up, leech," he snarled. "I wasn't happy when Leah imprinted on you, and I'm still not completely sure that it wouldn't be better for me to rip your throat out. Leah deserves the best of the best, and if you aren't willing to give it to her, then you're not worthy of her love."

"Why do you care so much about her?" I wondered, slightly incensed by his words. Who did he think that he was? "Last I heard, Leah only had one brother."

Sam's face reddened and he glanced away from me, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"I- it's not like that between us," he muttered. "I'm her alpha, of course, so I have to watch out for her, but I'm not her brother or anything..."

I stared at him, my mind going over the last conversation that I had had with Leah.

"It was you, wasn't it?" I gasped. "You're the one who hurt her before."

Sam glared at me.

"I didn't mean to," he snarled. "It was the imprinting... I loved Leah, I still do, but Emily... she's the one, you know? I couldn't- it wouldn't have been fair to Leah, so I had to break up with her when I became a wolf, to keep her safe. And then I met Emily..."

"And you have the nerve to lecture me about hurting Leah, when you're the one who broke her heart?" I whispered.

"It's not the same!" Sam growled. "I didn't have a choice, and I only did what I did to spare her more pain. You... you have a choice, and obviously you've been taking the wrong path."

"You don't know anything," I hissed. I closed my eyes briefly, trying to control my temper, before looking back at the infuriating werewolf.

"We should go and make sure that they are alright," I whispered.

Sam nodded and gave me a last warning look.

"Be careful, bloodsucker," he muttered. "If you hurt Leah,I'll make your life a living hell."

"Get in line," I sighed.

**Yep... don't own Twilight or any of the characters... sigh.**

**Anyways, thanks to all of the people who read/reviewed this story! As always, you guys rock! Please keep the feedback (and the love) coming! And please, don't hesitate to critique if you don't like something, I swear I won't be crushed! (well, maybe a little... ;))**

**Also, I'm going to be leaving soon to go on a trip for a few days, and I don't know if I'll be able to get another update in before then. So, please be patient for the next few weeks! I promise I'll update when I can!**

**Remember, reviews are love! Spread the love!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Alec POV

The wolves were already out and scouting the woods by the time that Sam and I arrived at the house. I skidded to a halt when I caught a glimpse of Leah's silver wolf through the trees. She froze, her dark eyes meeting mine for a split second before she turned away with an almost pained huff. She raised her head and barked once before darting back into the trees without another glance in our direction. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair in frustration. How was I ever going to fix things between us? Did I even want to?

I shook my head and forced myself to focus on the task at hand. No, now wasn't the time to deal with my doubts. I needed to make sure that everyone was safe.

Sam and I both glanced up as Seth made his way towards us through the trees, his normally tanned skin pale beneath his messy black hair, his dark eyes tired. He stopped a few feet away from us, his gaze going to Sam warily.

"What're you two doing here?" he asked slowly.

"We heard the screams," I answered before Sam could speak, earning myself a glare from the werewolf alpha. "We were worried. What happened?"

Sam growled and shifted into his human form before Seth spoke, his arms crossed in front of his bare chest.

"Who screamed?" he demanded.

"Jayna and Renesmee," Seth sighed wearily. "At least, we're assuming that it was them. Jayna left a note for Embry on his bed. Something about seeing one of their friends asking for help... obviously, it was a trap."

"Have you caught any scents?" Sam asked, his brow furrowing in a frown. After a slight pause, he added. "How are Jake and Embry taking it?"

Seth sighed and glanced back into the trees.

"They're taking it really hard," he murmured. "They feel like we should have watched the girls more carefully. We haven't found a scent yet. That's why we're looking through the woods, we're trying to find the place where the girls were taken-."

A howl rose up through the trees, cutting off the rest of Seth's sentence. Without another word, the three of us took off in the direction of the howl, Leah's silver wolf joining us halfway. I glanced at her as we ran, trying to determine whether or not she was still angry at me. Her dark eyes were focused on the forest ahead of us, never once straying in my direction. I sighed, causing her ears to twitch.

"We need to talk," I whispered, hoping that Seth and Sam couldn't hear.

Her ears twitched again and her eyes met mine for a millisecond, the answer clear in her eyes: Now wasn't the time. We had the others to worry about.

"I know," I sighed. "But we will talk, Leah. After this is over."

The wolf hesitated for a moment before nodding, her eyes wary. I sighed with relief and allowed myself a small smile. We would talk. Perhaps there was a way to fix this.

Jake and Embry were pacing along a short stretch of the forest floor, their ears pressed flat against their skulls. They glanced up when we approached, their tortured dark eyes barely showing surprise at Sam and I's presence.

"What did you find?" Seth asked eagerly.

Jake shifted into human form and gestured towards a small scrap of land around which he and Embry had been pacing.

"We found a scent," he told us. "I can't recognize it, but it's definitely a vampire."

"Let me look at it," I murmured. I waited for Jake to give me a nod of approval before walking forward to get a better look at the piece of soil. My nostrils flared as a familiar scent overwhelmed me, a small groan escaping my lips. I absently put out a hand to steady myself, my palm pressing against the rough wood of a nearby tree as if to find comfort.

"What is it?" Jake growled, his demand echoed by Leah's whine of concern.

"Jane," I gasped. "My sister... she was here. With the other three hybrids. They must have gone to Aro, gotten his attention..."

"How did they find Aro?" Sam demanded. "More importantly, how did your sister find us?"

I didn't say anything and glanced at the other four wolves, who were now staring at me with expressions that varied between rage and (in Leah and Seth's case) disappointment. They knew. Leah had heard me, she would have told the rest of her pack. She knew what I had caused.

"You bastard," Jake hissed, his black eyes flashing with anger. "You... you caused this. Bastard! I'm going to kill you for this!"

"Jake, no!" Seth yelled. He ran to the furious werewolf's side and wrapped restraining arms around the teen's shaking shoulders. "You can't. Leah-."

Embry howled and launched himself towards me, only to be blocked by a snarling Leah. I watched the exchange, my dead heart nearly breaking inside of me. I had caused this...

"This was your fault?" Sam gasped, his shocked expression slowing giving way to fury.

I nodded.

"I sent the three hybrids to Aro," I told him tonelessly. "To give me more time. They must have told Aro about the other two. He must have sent Jane with them to get the girls."

Jake and Embry snarled and tried to move towards me again, only to be blocked and held back by Seth and Leah. Sam shook his head, his eyes narrowing.

"I warned you," he growled.

I met his gaze without flinching, already seeing where this would go.

"I told you that I had made mistakes," I murmured.

"This isn't some f#4ing mistake!" Jake screamed. "Nessie and Jayna have been hurt because of you! They're with some f#$ing psychotic vampires because of you! This is your fault!"

"I know," I murmured. "But I can fix this. Please, let me help-."

"We don't need your help!" Jake interrupted. "Get the hell out of here leech!"

I winced and glanced at Leah once. There was anger in her eyes again, anger mixed with a deep sadness.

I knew then that I needed to leave. I couldn't cause these people anymore pain, I couldn't hurt Leah more.

I knew what I needed to do.

"Then I'll leave," I agreed flatly.

I turned without another word and ran away from the werewolves, straining to catch Jane's scent among the trees. I paused for a moment as I passed another patch of ground where her scent was particularly strong. I glanced in the direction of the scent and hesitated for a brief moment before following her trail, my nose picking up faint traces of the hybrids mixed with a cold, harsh smell. Wolves. Aro had brought his wolves with him as well. This would make my plan more difficult... Would I be killed before I could accomplish what I wanted? I shook my head and increased my speed as I drew closer to my sister and her master. I wouldn't fail, not this time. I needed to succeed for the sake of the innocent hybrids and their imprints. For Leah's sake.

**Hey all, I'm back from my trip! England and Ireland are gorgeous! Any of you readers that live there have awesome countries! Yeah, I know this chapter is short (I'm so sorry! hides in a corner from shame*) but I promise that the next one will be longer and more action filled! Thanks to everyone who read/reviewed because you are amazing! Please continue reviewing!**

**Love you all! And I don't own Twilight or any of the characters... sniff.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

AlecPOV

Jane met me before I had even reached the camp, her innocent face twisted into a not-so-innocent smile.

"Hello, brother," she greeted me cheerfully. "I assume your _allies_ have learned about the hybrids' absence?"

I felt fury rise inside of me at her words but nodded, easily keeping the anger from my facial expression. Thank God Aro didn't have anyone like Jasper Cullen among his allies... I wouldn't even have had a chance.

"Where are they?" I asked casually. "I want to see them."

Jane frowned, confused.

"Why?" she wondered. "Do you worry about them?" she added, her red eyes mocking.

I chuckled dryly, trying to hide my disgust. How long had my twin been so uncaring, so cruel, so... evil? Had she always been this way or had it come about as a result of her turning into a vampire? Was it Aro's fault for corrupting her or was it mine for allowing her to become a vampire?

"I merely want to make sure that you and those vulgar wolves didn't damage them before Aro could see them," I lied breezily. "Is he here with you?"

"No," Jane sighed, her scarlet eyes almost wistful. "He and the rest of his army will be coming later to join us for the attack on the Cullens. He's extremely eager to meet these little hybrids." She glanced over her shoulder and smirked. I followed her gaze and realized for the first time that one of the hybrids- Lori?- was watching us, her thin face unreadable.

"How many of you are there?" I asked, falling into step beside my sister as she led me in the direction of the two captured hybrids.

"Aro sent two other vampires with me and three of the werewolves," Jane reported smugly, obviously pleased at being handed this responsibility. "And, of course, there are the three cooperative hybrids."

"Of course," I murmured absently, my mind already racing. The vampires I could handle easily with my gift, but I knew that these werewolves weren't affected... and what if the hybrids weren't affected either? Would I be able to hold of Jane and her forces long enough for Jayna and Renesmee to escape?

"Here they are," Jane announced cheerfully, breaking me out of my thoughts. I glanced up, my eyes meeting Renesmee's anxious brown ones. The hybrid frowned when she saw me, her expression suddenly confused. I could see the other hybrid, Jayna, half-hidden behind Renesmee, her green eyes wide beneath her dark hair.

"Hmm," I murmured, my mind already concentrating on spreading my gift among the vampires in Jane's camp. I smirked with satisfaction when I felt the two other vampires succumb to the numbness, my chest aching with a dim feeling of guilt when my sister was affected as well, her red eyes suddenly blank as all of her senses were erased by the mist.

Renesmee and Jayna drew back abruptly at the sight of the mist, their eyes wide with fear.

"What the he-?" Renesmee began, only to have her words cut off by a scream of alarm from one of the other three hybrids as my gift reached them.

I waited, my muscles tensing in preparation for battle in case my gift failed to work on the hybrids. A second screech, this one of fury, told me that I had failed.

Cursing, I turned back to the imprisoned hybrids, my hands effortlessly tearing through the chains that bound them.

"Get out of here, now," I snapped. "I'll hold off the others. Go to the Cullens' house, tell them whatever you heard from Jane. Make sure that they and the wolves are prepared for battle."

"What the hell are you going to do?" Renesmee demanded, her dark eyes narrowing. "You're not planning on getting killed, are you?"

"No one plans to get killed," I murmured pointedly. "But... I'm not sure that I can guarantee that I will make it out of here. Now go."

I pushed the hybrids away into the trees before turning to intercept an attack from one of the other hybrids. I threw the screaming girl back into one of her fellows, smiling in triumph when the two girls slammed into a nearby tree with bone-shattering force. I caught the third hybrid before she could launch herself at the fleeing girls and slammed my fist into her jaw, making her crumple to the ground in unconsciousness.

"Too easy," I muttered under my breath. "How on earth did these children survive?"

"Do you need a challenge, vampire?" a rough voice hissed in my ear.

I shivered as the hot breath made contact with my skin and leaped away from the creature, my nose wrinkling in disgust when I caught sight of the three hideous creatures covered in matted fur. They snarled at me, revealing yellow fangs stained with flecks of blood.

"Get him," the werewolf that had spoken growled, its muscles already bunching as it prepared to jump.

I darted away from the werewolves, my leg lashing out in a kick that caught one of them in the chest. The wolf howled in pain and crumpled to the ground as one of its fellows launched over it, its jaws snapping just inches from my throat, its clawed hands scratching away small chunks of my torso.

I yelled as my flesh was torn away and hastily pushed the wolf away. The animal landed a few feet away and prepared to run at me again, its fellow following close behind. I grimaced and raised my arms in front of my face, preparing to hold off the animals...

Two dark haired blurs intercepted the wolves, pushing them off course. The creatures snarled as their bodies collided with the thick trunk of a large oak. I blinked in surprise as Jayna and Renesmee ran to my side, their pale faces flushed with the thrill of battle.

"What are you two doing here?" I snapped, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my chest and right shoulder. I resisted the urge to look at my wounds, knowing from experience that it wouldn't be pretty.

"We decided that we should help you out, since you saved us and all," Renesmee replied easily, her chocolate eyes drawn unwillingly to the gashes on my torso. She grimaced delicately and turned away to watch the werewolves as they recovered from the shock of the hybrids' attack, her eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, Leah would have been angry with us if she learned that we had left you to die," Jayna added quietly, her green eyes also averted from my wounds.

I snorted and pushed the hybrids behind me as the wolves launched themselves at us again, my hands fastening around their throats before they could reach the hybrids. The creatures howled in frustration and clawed at my arms and shoulders, pulling away more pieces of my frozen flesh. I winced and tightened my grip on the animals' windpipes, a feral snarl curling my lips when the creatures passed out from lack of oxygen and collapsed limply in my grip. I tightened my grip again, preparing to crush the life from these creatures... Then I stopped.

I couldn't kill them... not when their furious, unconscious dark eyes reminded me of the last time that I had seen Leah, not when I could see the traces of silver in their fur that reminded me of her wolf...

I sighed in defeat and allowed the unconscious wolves to fall to the ground before turning to the two girls, who were now staring at me with wide eyes.

"Come on," I sighed. "It's time to go. We need to be at the Cullens' by the time these idiots regain consciousness, and I don't know how long I'll be able to keep the vampires from following us."

The girls nodded and wordlessly pulled my ragged arms around their shoulders in support. They ignored my cries of protest and ran off into the forest, dragging me in their wake.

BellaPOV

I felt Edward stiffen beside me and glanced up, my eyes narrowing when I saw the shock in his golden eyes.

We were sitting in the living room, finally alone. Alice had gone to the mall with Rosalie, Emmett, and a slightly unwilling Jasper, and Carlisle was at work. Esme was also in the house, so we weren't technically alone... although she was less likely to burst into the room unannounced then any of the others were.

"Edward?" I murmured, allowing some of my concern to seep into my tone. "What's wrong?"

"Alec," he muttered, his eyes bemused. "He's... asking me for help. He's with Renesmee and Jayna, they're trying to get away from some of Aro's forces."

"What?" I yelped, my legs carrying me to the door before he could say another word. I met a concerned Esme at the door and darted out onto the lawn, my eyes sweeping the grounds for any sign of Jake, Leah, and Embry's imprints.

"Bella!" Edward yelled, his gold eyes flashing as he flitted to my side. "Don't go out here alone when Aro's forces are hanging around here. You could have been hurt. Esme, call Carlisle and the others. Tell them to come home as soon as possible."

Esme nodded and pulled out her cellphone. She turned away from us and hurried into the house, her fingers already dialing Carlisle's number.

"Where are Alec and the girls?" I demanded, my eyes still combing the trees surrounding our property.

"There," Edward murmured. He ran towards the river that separated our land from the forest that had become our favorite hunting grounds. I followed close behind, my feet skidding to a stop right before three shapes detached themselves from the trees and jumped gracefully over the river. Edward hissed at the sight of Alec's wounds and pulled the ragged vampire onto his back, already running in the direction of the house.

"Call the wolves," he called back to me. "And get Jayna and Renesmee inside. I don't want you three out here for long."

I nodded and ran after him to the house, the two hybrids close behind me. I glanced over my shoulder towards the tree that Alec and the hybrids had jumped out of, my heart sinking when I caught Jane's unmistakeable scent wafting over the water.

It was happening again...

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight... yeah, I'm sure you get that by now. So sorry for the delay, haha. It's not called procrastinating... it's called writers block!**

**Please review and help me cure my writers block! Show me the love! Review!**

**Special thanks to everyone who read/reviewed! You are all awesome!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

LeahPOV

"Leah... I'm heading out for a bit, 'kay?"

I stared up at my little brother in shock, wondering if I had misunderstood him. He wanted to leave _now_, when Jake and Embry were killing themselves with worry over their missing imprints and I was dealing with the fact that my own imprint had sold us out to the Volturi?

"You- You're kidding, right?" I gasped in shock. "Where the hell are you going to go?"

Seth shifted uncomfortably, his soft brown eyes slightly guilty.

"I- uh- there's this... she's-."

"Wait a minute," I interrupted, my eyes narrowing as I grasped what he was trying to say. Oh for the love of... "You have an _imprint_?"

"Maybe..." my brother mumbled, his cheeks flaring a bright red.

I stared at him again, wondering if I should start teasing him or throttle him. At the moment, I was leaning towards the second option.

"When did this happen?" I demanded, almost forgetting my own heartache in the face of this new information. Almost.

"The day I told Mom about you and Alec," he muttered. "I kind of ran into her and we talked and... well, you know."

"So, what, did you ask her out or something?"

"Wha- no! How was I supposed to ask her out? We talked for, like, five minutes."

I snorted, amused despite the situation at my brother's discomfort.

"So, what are you going to do, then? Sniff her out and show up at her house?" I asked.

Seth's face went scarlet and he looked down at his feet, his hands nervously fingering the hem of his t-shirt.

"Uh... no," he grumbled.

I forced myself to smile and pushed my brother in the direction of the door. What did it matter if the rest of us were miserable? Seth didn't need to be dragged down by our problems, he needed to enjoy himself.

"Go ahead and stalk your new girlfriend," I ordered wryly. "And don't forget to bring her over some time so I can embarrass you."

Seth shot me a grateful look before darting out of the door, his hands already shaking as he prepared to shift into his wolf form.

"Don't forget to actually put some clothes on when you show up at her house," I yelled after him, earning myself an annoyed growl from my brother's tan wolf. I chuckled humorlessly and shut the door. I paused for a moment and pressed my head against the hard wood, trying to derive some comfort from it. Great, now who would I talk to? It wasn't like Jake and Embry were up to listening to me try and work out my feelings... they were still holed up in the room that they shared, no doubt slipping into comas from lack of sleep.

_Wish that I could go into a coma_, I thought sourly. At least then I wouldn't have to deal with the pain that Alec had caused me... and I wouldn't have to suffer from the guilt over the pain that I might have caused him. Dammit, I shouldn't have let him walk away last night. He might have screwed up, but he was _my_ imprint; I should have defended him.

A loud ringing came from the kitchen, making me jump. I glanced in the direction of the guys' room before running towards the kitchen, my eyes zeroing in on the ancient black cellphone that someone had dropped on the counter. I read the caller ID and hastily scooped the device into my hand, my fingers fumbling over the call button.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Leah?" Bella's voice crackled over the phone, her worried tone immediately putting me on edge. "Is that you?"

"Yeah," I gasped, wondering why I suddenly felt out of breath. "Yeah, it's me. What's going on?"

"Look, you- are Jake and Embry there too?"

"They're... well, they're moping at the moment. Why? Is everything okay over there?"

"Yes. Well, no, not really... Listen, just get them over here, okay? Renesmee and Jayna are here and we really need-."

"Renesmee and Jayna are there?" I repeated, shocked. "How the hell-?"

"Alec brought a few minutes ago. They said he rescued them from Jane. Listen, Leah, you guys need to get over here now, do you hear me? Aro's coming and I don't think that we'll be able to avoid a fight this time." Bella's voice trailed off and I heard Edward's voice in the background asking her if she was alright.

"Yeah, we'll be over there in a minute, okay?" I assured her breathlessly, trying to ignore the sudden pounding of my heart in my chest. Alec? Alec had rescued them? After everything we- after everything _I_ did to him? "Just- just let me get Jake and Embry out of- yeah, we'll be over there." I hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Hey, Bella?"

"Yes, Leah?"

"Is he.. is Alec okay?"

Bella didn't answer for a moment and my heart sank as a crushing weight seemed to settle on my chest. Was Alec-?

"He'll be fine, Leah," Bella assured me. "Just get over here soon, okay?"

I nodded mutely, even though she couldn't see me, and hung up, my legs already carrying me in the direction of the guys' bedroom.

"Jake!" I yelled at the top of my voice. "Embry! Get your lazy asses out here right now! We need to get to the Cullen house. Renesmee and Jayna are there and-"

"They're _what_?" Jake's voice interrupted. There was a moment's pause and the door to the bedroom was thrown open as the two boys barged into the living room, their faces flushed with a sudden hope.

"They're at the Cullens. Bella just called, she told us to get our asses over there." I made my way to the front door, shooting a glare over my shoulder at the other two when they didn't immediately follow me. "Come _on_," I hissed.

Jake nodded and ran after me, dragging Embry behind him. I darted out of the door and stripped down before shifting into my wolf form, not bothered for once by my usual uneasiness about being naked in front of the guys.

_How did the girls get to the Cullen house?_ Jake's voice wondered, his thoughts a jumble of confusion and joy.

_Alec_, I replied simply. _He went and rescued them._

I felt Jake stumble behind me at the news and heard Embry's shocked whine.

_That bloodsucker-? He did that for us?_ Embry gasped.

_Watch it, pal, that's my imprint_, I snapped, not really in the mood for the usual insults. Was Alec really okay or had Bella only been lying to make me feel better? What even happened to vampires when they got hurt?

_He got hurt?_ Jake interrupted me, his thoughts subdued for once.

_Bella didn't exactly go into it_, I thought back, mentally going over my conversation with the newest Cullen. _But... yeah. That's what I guessed..._

Jake and Embry said nothing, their legs moving faster as they nearly flew across the miles that separated us from the Cullen house. I stayed ahead of them easily, my legs burning as I pushed myself faster than I had ever gone before. I ignored the pain, my thoughts entirely focused on Alec. Would he forgive me for how I treated him? Could we actually get past everything and have a sort of normal relationship? I snorted at the thought. Yeah, right. Me and normal didn't exactly go hand in hand.

I barked when I caught sight of the gigantic white Cullen mansion, my paws digging into the ground as I skidded to a halt. I slipped hurriedly out of my wolf form and threw on my clothes before running the rest of the way to the Cullens' door, Jake and Embry close behind me.

There was a flicker of movement and the door was thrown open to reveal two slightly disheveled girls standing in the doorway. Jake and Embry gave twin cries of relief and darted past me, their imprints leaping into their arms halfway. I smiled slightly at the display and hurried past them into the house, nearly running into Bella and Edward as I did so.

"Leah," Bella gasped in relief, her gold eyes flickering to where Jake and Embry were still clutching their imprints in a tight embrace. "You guys got here quick."

"Where's Alec?" I demanded, too impatient for the customary greetings.

Bella nodded in sympathy and glanced at Edward pleadingly. He nodded and motioned for me to follow before making his way up the stairs, Bella at his side. I hesitated for a moment before going after them, suddenly nervous. Would Alec want to see me? Did I want to see him?

Edward paused in front of the first door in the hall, his hand raised to knock on the dark oak.

"Are they here Edward?" Carlisle Cullen's voice called from within the room. I heard something crack from within the room, followed by a low hiss that made my heart start to pound.

"Yes," Edward answered immediately. "Leah want's to see Alec."

There was a pause as Carlisle seemed to converse with someone in the room, his voice lowered in a whisper.

"She can come in if she wants to," Alec called out at last, his voice slightly strained.

Edward nodded and glanced at me questioningly. I hesitated for a moment, my eyes locking with Bella's. She smiled encouragingly waited for Carlisle to open the door before she pushed me in. The vampire doctor smiled kindly at me and moved past me out of the room, his pale hands deftly closing the door behind him. I stared at the wood for a moment before slowly turning around to face the only other occupant in the room, my breath catching in my throat when I met his unreadable black gaze.

I realized then that vampires could be wounded.

There were large gashes all over the upper half of Alec's body, gashes that were made all the more visible by the fact that his entire chest and abdomen were bare. It looked like huge chunks had been torn out of him by some huge animal. As I watched, some small piece of what looked like granite seemed to fly across the room and snap into place in one of the gashes with a low crack. Alec's face tightened in response, his eyes easily showing the pain that he tried to hide from me.

"Hey," he grunted after a moment, his voice rough with pain.

"Oh my God," I whispered, my eyes misting over with tears. "How- what- why-"

"I think you know the answer to the last question," Alec interrupted gently. He hesitated for a moment before reaching out to brush his cool fingers against the side of my face, his expression softening infinitesimally. "I needed to fix the mistakes that I had made."

"I should have stopped you," I murmured hoarsely. "You shouldn't have gone alone... Oh _God_ what did they do to you?"

"Shh," Alec whispered soothingly, his hand now cupping my cheek. "Shh. It's okay, I'll be fine. Our injuries heal quickly." He paused for a moment, seeming to debate whether or not to tell me something. "It was the other werewolves... my sister and her vampires weren't much of a problem but those wolves are more... difficult to take care of."

"The other werewolves?" I repeated thickly, my voice breaking slightly when another piece of Alec's body reattached itself with a crack.

The vampire nodded, his gaze suddenly intense.

"When you heard me tell the Cullens about the hideous wolf creatures that I couldn't stand, I wasn't talking about you," he told me quietly. "I was talking about the other ones from Siberia, the creatures that Aro allied with to gain power. I... never thought that your kind was ugly," he added in a whisper. "Especially not you."

I blushed and nodded to show that I understood. Damn it, why did my heart have to start fluttering _now_ when there was an entire household of vampires listening in? I thought I heard Edward chuckle downstairs and frowned. Damn, I had forgotten that he could read minds.

Alec's expression darkened at the sight of my frown. He let his hand fall from my face, his eyes suddenly worried.

"Leah," he murmured, his musical voice immediately capturing my attention. "I- I'm sorry. For everything. I didn't mean to... I shouldn't have agreed... if I had gotten over my pride, I never would have hurt you and-."

It was my turn to interrupt him. I gently pressed the tips of my fingers against his lips, effectively cutting him off mid-rant. The vampire dropped his eyes to my fingers before bringing his gaze back to mine, his expression suddenly vulnerable.

"I want to earn your forgiveness, somehow," he whispered against my fingertips, his cool breath sending shivers of electricity through my skin. "I- I want to give this... imprint a try."

I felt my lips curve into a smile at his words and I nodded silently, not really trusting my voice at the moment.

Alec smiled tentatively in return, his lips pressing gently against my fingers in a feather-light kiss. I slowly lowered my hand from his mouth, my eyes locked in his as he leaned forward, his gaze suddenly intense. An unwilling gasp broke through my lips when he threaded his hands through my short black hair, my eyes widening as currents of electricity shot through my body. Alec hesitated for a moment, his eyes asking me if this was okay before he closed the distance between us, his marble lips pressing shyly against my own.

I kissed back, my mouth moving against his while my hands rose to wrap themselves around his scarred shoulders. I moaned against his mouth and felt him shiver before his lips parted, his tongue meeting mine in its own gentle embrace.

The door crashed open behind us, effectively shattering the moment. I gasped and felt Alec's arms tighten around me, our heads turning in sync to glare at the intruders.

Jake and Embry stood frozen in the doorway, their mouths hanging open in shock. Behind them, I could see Renesmee and Jayna pressed against the wall of the hallway, their cheeks red with embarrassment.

"God dammit you two!" I snarled, my vision briefly going red with fury. I was going to _kill_ them when we got home.

"Uh, sorry to, um, interrupt but, uh, Bella- well, all of the Cullens, really, wanted to, uh, discuss Aro and stuff," Jake mumbled, his tanned face now going slightly pink in embarrassment.

I growled under my breath and reluctantly detached myself from Alec's embrace, a part of me smirking in satisfaction when I sensed that the vampire was just as unwilling as I was.

"Actually, Leah, there's one other thing the Cullens want to know," Embry added, only slightly more composed than Jake.

"Yeah?" I snapped. "What?"

"They want to know where Seth is. They said it's dangerous to be out there alone when Aro and his allies are so close..."

I froze, my heart nearly stopping in my chest. Shit. Seth. How could I have forgotten?

More importantly, how were we going to find him before the evil vampires did?

**Hey! Yeah, sorry for the delay... writer's block... grr... Anyways, I'm going to be heading to the beach next week so I don't know if I'll be able to get another update in before then. Don't worry, though, I'll have an update up as soon as I get back. Thanks for putting up with my awful updating schedule all you readers! And, of course, thanks so much for reviewing! Please keep up the feedback! Let me know how I'm doing, ok?**

**And, as always, I do not own Twilight, the characters, or cellphones. All of the credit belongs to people who are a lot cooler than me, haha.**

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